Hurt
by SunsetOfForever21
Summary: Kagome Higurashi's home life sucks and her parents, for the most part, hate one another. She has no friends and plans on keeping it that way. Friends just end up hurting you... Chapter FOURTEEN is up! Sorry for the wait.
1. Nana Hikari's

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha**

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**A/N: This fic was written out of ANGER! It may come out to be something great or it may not. Hope it comes out okay... Whatever. Anyway I'll give you a little summary.**

**Summary: Kagome Higurashi's home life sucks and her parents hate one another. She has no friends and plans on keeping it that way. Friends just end up hurting you or you end up hurting them. She's a loner and she likes it that way... Or so she thought. Can Kagome let friends and love into her life? Or will she just push it away like she has so many times before?**

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Kagome lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her hair was up in a ponytail, like always and she rolled her eyes at the noise coming from the next room. She'd become numb to the sound of her bickering parents. She was starting to drift off to sleep when she heard a knock on her door. She sat up in slight alarm with a raised brow then relaxed once she saw her brother.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" She asked him quietly as the 4 year old walked over to her bed.

"Nothing really." They heard their mother yelp in pain and turned their heads at the noise. Kagome looked at her brother and sighed.

"Come here." She opened her arms and he put his head on her chest. "Souta, the night is young." She said with mock seriousness. "Why don't we go down to the ice cream shop and get ourselves a treat?" She asked him and he nodded his head. "Go get dressed." Kagome walked over to her shoes and put them on. She kept her white t-shirt and jeans on and fixed her hair in the bathroom. After that she brushed her teeth and was ready to go.

"Kagome?" She heard her brother calling her from outside her door.

"Hey," She said with a smile. She ruffled his hair and took his hand. "Let's go." She glanced at their parent's bedroom door and walked over to it. "Mom? Dad?" No response. "Souta and I are-" The door suddenly opened and there stood her mother.

"We are leaving." She said in a raspy voice. There was a bruise on her left eye and Kagome gasped. "Get your things." She said.

"Mom-" Kagome began with confusion.

"No, don't question me!" She said with tears streaming down her face. "I told you to get your things. Now go!"

"Come on Souta, I'll help you." Kagome said, picking him up and bringing him to his room.

"Kaggy, what's wrong with mommy?" Souta asked his sister.

"Nothing, we're just going for a drive." She told him. "Come on, I think we're staying over nana's!" She said in an excited tone.

"Ooh, yay!" Souta clapped his hands together and giggled softly. Kagome got out her old backpack from Souta's closet and put his things in it. She packed all the necessities and Souta put in some things that he wanted to take with him.

"Okay, now go to mom and give her your bag. I'll be right out." She kissed his cheek and watched him trot his way over to their mom who was sitting on the couch.

"Wait," Kagome said aloud. "Mom, where's dad?"

"In his room." She answered. Kagome walked in to find her father on the floor. She gasped.

"What the hell? Dad!" She yelled into his face. "Shit, dad?" She checked his pulse and relaxed when she found it. "Mom, why the fuck is dad passed out on the ground?" She asked angrily.

"We were fighting." Her mother said with another drink of the beer she had in her hand. "And I won." She grinned at Souta who clapped his hands together, not understanding what was going on.

"Mom, you're drunk." Kagome said as she came out of the room.

"And your point is?" Sherry, her mother, asked with a raised brow.

"Come here Souta." She opened her arms for the small boy. He ran over to her and hugged her. "Mom, where are we going?" She asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "We're do you think we should go?" She asked her daughter.

"I think we should go to nanas." She suggested. "She lives close by and you are definitely not capable of driving right now so I will."

"Whatever baby, just as long as we're away from that bastard." She said with another swig of beer.

"Okay, I'm gonna go get my stuff-"

"Wait, you're not ready yet?" Her mother asked with a harsh laugh. "I told you to get ready fucking five minutes ago!" She said as she grabbed Kagome's chin.

"Mom," She said in a muffled voice. "That hurts, let me go."

"Go get your shit." She pushed her away with force. Kagome touched her chin and scowled at the pain that numbed on. She was ready in five minutes.

"Mom," She sighed. "Where are the keys?"

"How should I know?" She asked. "You little bitch, probably lost em again, huh?" She asked with a burp. Kagome went through a huge pile of bills on their kitchen table and finally found the keys.

"Got em, let's go." Kagome said, her bag on her shoulder. "Come on Souta." She reached a hand down for him to grab. That was when she realized her mom hadn't moved. "Mom, what the hell, let's go!" She said in a yell and her mother woke from her daze and lazily walked over to them. She leaned on her daughter's shoulder.

"I love you baby girl. You know that right?" Kagome made a face at how awful her mother smelled.

"Mom, you smell." Kagome said bluntly and Sherry laughed.

"I know," She kissed her cheek. "Let's go." Soon they were all in the car and driving to Kagome's grandmothers.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"Ah look it's my favorite daughter, granddaughter, and grandson. Now," She sighed with a look at Kagome who returned the gesture sadly. "The question is: Where's my favorite son-in-law?"

"Hey ma!" Sherry said, kissing her happily on the cheek. "Watch the kids for me, kay?" She asked. Hikari looked at her daughter with a raised brow.

"And where are you going?" She asked.

"To bed." She told her which was a complete and total lie. She was going to party all night with strangers. "Niiight!" She cupped Souta's face in her hands. "I love you sweetie, baby, angel boy!" She kissed him on the cheek, hard enough that is was painful. She didn't _mean_ to hurt him, she just did.

"I love you too mommy." He said quietly with a small yawn.

"Kagome," She said, as serious as she could, "Be good for your nana and watch your brother like a fucking hawk." She cupped her face with her hands as she had done with Souta. "I love you, kiddo." She smiled.

"I love you too, mom." She said with a sigh. Sherry kissed her daughter goodbye and went to leave then turned around. "Keys." She said simply and Kagome almost didn't give them to her but she did.

"Be careful Sherry, dear!" Hikari said as her daughter drove away. "You going to school tomorrow?" Hikari asked Kagome quietly.

"Why wouldn't I?" Kagome asked sarcastically. "This isn't the first time this has happened." Hikari chuckled sadly.

"Come on," She took Souta's hand and they all walked into her house. Kagome's grandmother's house was very large, old, and beautiful. It always gave Kagome the sense of what a home _should _be like. "I baked some cookies earlier!" She said as they all settled into her cozy living room. Her couch was huge and soft. Kagome would be sleeping there that night. Kagome rubbed her temples as Souta laughed happily.

"Cookies, cookies, coooookies!" Souta screamed the chant in a sing-song voice. Kagome smiled at her brother's happiness.

"No, sleep, sleep, sleeeep!" Kagome said lightly and Souta's face fell. "Aw, come on kid; give your sister a break. It's time to go to bed. Cookies will just make you _hyper!_" She began to tickle him until he agreed that it was time to go to bed.

"Come with your nana, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." Hikari said and Souta smiled at her with a nod and took her hand. Hikari smiled and when she went to let go of his hand, he held on even tighter than before.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

When Hikari returned she found Kagome lying on the couch with her eyes shut.

"Hm, that boy sure is a hand holder." Hikari chuckled and Kagome grinned tiredly.

"It's cause I always hold his hand." She said, her eyes still shut. She opened one eye and looked at her nana. "He asleep?" She asked her.

"Not yet but I told him a quick bedtime story that'll help him go to sleep." She said to her. "Want anything? Coffee, tea, hot cocoa?" She asked with a small smile. Her granddaughter was growing up so fast.

"Nah, I gotta go to sleep because I have to get up early for school." Kagome said with a yawn and a stretch.

"You're a good kid, Kagome." Hikari said to her and Kagome smiled up at her.

"Thanks Nana Hikari." She said.

"See ya in the morning." Hikari said as she went into her kitchen to get herself a drink.

"Yep, night nana." Kagome said as she snuggled into the couches softness. Right when she was about to drift off to dreamland, Kagome jumped up from the couch, her eyes wide. "Ahh shit!" She said with a whine.

"What!?" Hikari asked as she ran into the room.

"I have a test tomorrow and I'm so freaking screwed." Kagome said.

"Didn't study?" Hikari asked.

"Yep," Kagome said with anger.

"Night sweetie." Hikari said in a sorry-can't-help-you-this-time tone.

"Yeah, night." Kagome said with an upset sigh.

'Oh well, maybe I'll get lucky and ace it just from remembering the material.' Kagome thought, though she highly doubted it.

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**A/N: So, that was the end of the first chapter. Hope ya like it. (As you can tell, I'm now in a better mood... lol) Kay, please review! Thanks.**


	2. Whatever

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha.**

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**A/N: This is my new baby... YEP! I'm going to try and make something out of this fic and I hope you all like it. So, this is the second chapter to Hurt.**

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Kagome had set her cell phone alarm to get up early in the morning for school. Though she hated her high school, she had to go. It was the one thing that kept her mind off home.

**- ANNOYING BEEP THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR ALARM GOES OFF -**

"Ah, noooo, I'm still tired." She said into the couch. She thanked God that she'd showered the night before or else her hair would have been greasy. And even though she had no friends and didn't plan on getting any, she still wanted to look good.

"Kaaaaaagy!" Souta screamed as he ran and trampled on top of her. She smiled tiredly at him and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning, why are you up so early?" She asked him with a frown.

"I just am?" He asked with a cute little shrug and she laughed.

"Where's nana?" Kagome asked him as if he had all the answers to her questions.

"In the kitchen." He said as he bounced up and down.

"What's she doing?" She asked with a yawn.

"Cooking break fast." Souta said.

"Hey, what did I say about that word?" Kagome asked trying to hide her smile.

"You only say break fast when you're trying to spell it... and you put the??" He looked at her with confusion. "I forget." He said with tears filling his eyes.

"Oh, silly." She tapped his nose. "You only use break fast two words apart when you're trying to spell it. When your saying it, it's brekfest."

"But it's still spelt the same way?" He asked with confusion.

"Mhmm, words have no rhyme or reason, my brother." She told him and he nodded his head as if he understood. She grinned at him and kissed his cheek. He giggled and wiped it away.

"_Yuck!_" He said, still giggling. Kagome laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Let's go see what nanas doing." Kagome grabbed his hand and they walked in to find their mother sitting at the kitchen table. "Mom?" Kagome asked with a high-pitched voice.

"Yep, we're going home this afternoon!" She told Souta.

"But-" Kagome began.

"But nothing, your father and I have made up." Kagome smirked at the coffee she drank.

"I'm hungry nana, can I some cereal?" Souta asked politely.

"No," Hikari said and Souta looked down at the table in an embarrassed way. "But," Hikari said with a smile. "You can have some pancakes. I made them chocolate chip, your favorite!" Souta clapped his hands together happily.

"Thank you nana!" He hugged her tightly.

"You're welcome hon." Kagome looked over at her grandmother's stove clock.

"Shoooot, is that clock right?" She asked. Hikari nodded her head.

"It's a bit slow, too." She told her and Kagome almost fell over.

"I gotta get ready!" She screamed. It took her ten minutes to get ready and she still had to get on her shoes. She had her hair up in a pony, wore a navy blue t-shirt, and had on light blue, somewhat faded jeans. She wore no make-up because she didn't need it and if she put anything on her lips it was strawberry ChapStick. Once she was done putting on her shoes she looked up to find her mother leaning against the wall with her hands in her pocket.

"You ready?" She asked. Her mother was so different when she wasn't drunk. She was like a mother.

"Yep," Kagome said and Sherry smiled.

"It's yes. You know that, right?" She asked her and Kagome nodded her head.

"Of course I do." She smirked. "But I was raised by _you._" Kagome said jokingly and her mother laughed.

"Shut up, get in the car." She said.

"What? You're gonna drive me?" Kagome asked with sarcasm, continuing the joke. Sherry snickered.

"Yes, I'm _going _to be driving you."

Then they both were on their way to Kagome's high school. "I used to _hate_ Takahashi High."

"I didn't know that you hated any high, mom." Kagome muttered and Sherry hadn't heard her because she had the music blaring.

"Here, we are." Kagome was thankful she was on time.

"Yeah, but only cause you drove like a speed demon!" Kagome shrieked and Sherry chuckled.

"_Because! _I love you Kagome, have a good day at school." She kissed her daughter goodbye then left her standing there in front of the school, alone with all the other _people. _

"Here we go again." She walked into the building with her head held up high.

"Hey, Higurashi!" She turned her head to where the noise had come from.

"Oh, shut up Inuyasha." She said quietly and she assumed he hadn't heard her but she'd forgotten he was a half dog demon.

"What was that?" He asked, directly in her face.

"Leave me alone, asshole." She said, right back and his eyes widened. He never talked to Kagome, never. But it was a game he and his friends played. It was a "See What Kind of Reaction We Get Out of Her," kind of game. She never really responded, just sighed or rolled her eyes. But, then again, no one had directly gone up to her face and asked what she said. "Come on, Inuyasha, move!" Kagome said as politely as she could to get him out of the way.

"No," He said with a smirk.

"Why not?" Kagome asked him and he shrugged.

"You don't freaking talk!" He said, trying not to laugh. "I mean, you used to talk all the time in middle school and so it's strange." Then he looked thoughtful. "No wait, that was elementary school." Kagome held back a snicker. He glared at her and the thought of even a small laugh escaped her. "I'm just trying to figure you out." He said with a shrug.

"Well, then figure it out from a distance!" She said angrily. "Now please, move." She boomed and he did, still in shock.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Later that day Kagome found her mind wondering off to Inuyasha Takahashi. Her high school had his name on it. It was named after his great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather. Wow, was the only word that came to Kagome's mind. That was a lot of greats.

Kagome took her Geometry test third period so when it came to lunch, she wasn't very hungry.

"Kagome why don't you eat?" Sango, a person she sat with at lunch, asked her kindly.

"I'm not hungry." Sango laughed and handed her some of her lunch. "No, really, I'm not feeling well." Kagome wasn't completely mute, she just had no friends. Even if they thought they were more than just acquaintances.

"How, come? Still freaking out about the Geometry test?" Sango asked her. Kagome held back the urge to roll her eyes. The girl just wouldn't quit. "Eh, no sweat. I heard a ton of people bombed that thing." Kagome's face seemed to brighten.

"So... I'm not the only one who failed?" Kagome asked, almost happily.

"Yeah, I think I failed it too." Sango said, sounding upset but still trying to make Kagome happy. Kagome sighed with relief and looked at Sango, shrugging on the inside.

"Nah," She said with a small smile. "You're really smart. I bet you aced it." Kagome said and Sango grinned from ear to ear at her.

"Really?" She asked her and Kagome just nodded her head. Still smiling slightly, Kagome picked up her book and flipped to the chapter they were supposed to read for homework. Out of the corner of her eye she could've sworn she saw Sango's eyes widen and open_ her _English book to the same exact page.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

After school, Kagome sat waiting for her mother on the school steps. Sherry was already 20 minutes late so Kagome had pulled out some of her homework and already finished half of it.

"So, heard that you talked to Inuyasha today." Kagome froze. Who was talking to her?

"Yeah, so what?" She asked, trying to hide the slight panic that she had from her voice.

"Well, you never said anything to anyone else." The same person said.

"I had a rough night and I was through with your little games!" Kagome said, placing her books down, getting up and facing the person. She found Kouga Wolf, to her surprise.

"All right, chill." He said with a smile. "I was just wondering why he was so special, that's all." He told her then walked away. Kagome sat back down. That was when she remembered that he was a wolf demon. Kagome got right back to her work, not bothering to look at her cell phone clock because she knew her mom would be at least an hour late.

"Hey Kagome," Kagome turned around to find Sango. What was it with the people and demons today? They just kept _talking_ to her! Didn't they get the hint?

"Hi," Kagome said, clearly ticked.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked, sitting next to her.

"Nothing," Kagome said in a huff. "Could you not...?" Kagome asked.

"Actually, I sit here all the time I just don't say hello to you." Sango said and Kagome silently begged her to get to the point and leave her alone. "My Dad, he's always late." Sango told her and Kagome nodded her head in understanding.

"Well, hope he comes soon." Kagome said, trying to be nice. Sango made a face of hurt and Kagome shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. I meant-" Kagome began but Sango interrupted her.

"Ya know, Kagome, you don't have to be so mean. Why do you have to be so closed up? I mean, I know you don't like me but just try to have at least one friend." Sango told her. Then she got up and sat away from her. Sango reached in her pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

"You shouldn't smoke." Kagome said automatically. "It's kind of bad for you." Sango laughed at the last part. She realized Kagome was a very sarcastic person. Sango pulled out a lighter and took a drag on the cigarette.

"I know," Sango said sadly. "I used to _hate_ it when my mom would smoke." She took another drag. "Then she died and I decided to take it up. See, I'm really just killing myself slowly." Sango smiled.

Kagome was shocked. She thought Sango was a happy person. "Well," Sango said getting up and stamping the bud into the cement. "See you tomorrow." Sango said, looking at Kagome.

"Bye," Kagome whispered as Sango's father drove away.

Kagome sighed. "It sucks not having a car!" Kagome whined up at the sky.

"I know," Kagome almost turned around and whacked the person that said that. Her anger disappeared when she saw it was her art teacher.

"Hi Mr. Tatsuki." She said quietly to him.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are you still here?" He asked her, sitting down beside his student. Kagome didn't really care for her teachers but she did respect them and talked to them when she was talked to.

"My mom is late." Kagome told her. "But it's no big deal, she had a doctors appointment and warned me she would be." Kagome told him as an excuse. Mr. Tatsuki nodded his head.

"Okay, well I can drive you home if you want." Her teacher told her and inner Kagome was freaking out.

'How _weird_ would that be!? Uhhh, no thanks!!! Mom will be here soon enough. AHHH, HOW CREEPY!'

"Um, thanks but I'm gonna pass." Mr. Tatsuki nodded his head with understanding.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Then he got up and walked over to his car.

"Tomorrow." Kagome said to the wind.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

About a half hour later she was sick of waiting and decided she was just going to walk home. At least she was done with her homework.

"Oh no," She said aloud. "Do I go home or do I go to nanas!?" Kagome asked herself. She'd gone back to her locker to return her books.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" Inuyasha asked her from behind.

"Yes, it's quite fun. You should try it." Kagome said with sarcasm.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna pass." He said with a smirk. Kagome looked at him with a raised brow.

"Why are you here so late?" She asked him and Inuyasha stared at her with skeptic eyes.

"I stayed after for help and detention." He said with a shrug after a moment.

"That's nice." Kagome sighed. Then she got up from the floor and closed her locker. She wiped whatever was on her hands, sand or something, off on her pants.

"Well, that was even nicer." Inuyasha said with a snicker.

"Yep, later Inuyasha." She said then walked away with one hand in her pocket. Inuyasha stared at her locker for a moment then chased after her.

"So, why are_ you_ at the school so late?" He asked her. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Do you have this disease where you _must_ talk to people or you feel unwanted?" Kagome asked him and he frowned.

"No," He said angrily. "I just wanted to know what you were in for." He said with a smirk.

"My mom was late and I don't have a car." She finally told him and he smiled.

"Well, see now that wasn't so bad." He told her and she shook her head.

"You're right, it was awful." His smile fell.

"Damn, you're a bitch you know that?" He asked her and Kagome laughed.

"Actually no, I didn't know that but thanks for telling me." Kagome said and Inuyasha blushed.

"I meant, you're kind of a harsh person." Inuyasha told her and she frowned.

"Well maybe, I have my reasons." She said quietly. Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" He asked her and she looked at him and smiled.

"Whatever Inuyasha," She said with a shake of her head. She couldn't believe she almost told him her life story, what in the world was she thinking? "I'll see ya later."

"Whatever Inuyasha?" He asked himself when she was gone. "Sorry but that makes no sense... Holy shit, now _I'm_ doing it." He said as he talked to himself.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Kagome ran home that day, feeling different for some reason. She thought about Inuyasha, Sango, and Kouga. Maybe she could give them a shot and get some new friends...

Nah, no way. Not then and not ever.

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**A/N: Hey, what's up? Lol, what a stupid question. I mean honestly think about it... What is up? The sky, my ceiling, the roof, a multiple of things could be said to that question. You could even say, my mood or not my mood. Lol, how weird! Any who, please review. **


	3. The Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha... Of course I don't haha.**

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**A/N: So, I'm trying to put up as many chapters as I can. Yes, I've been neglecting my other fics but it's only because I have an awful case of writer's block and this seems to be the only one that's giving me some ideas right now. Yay for chapter threee!**

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Kagome had first gone to her nanas. When she found out that her mother had already been by and picked up Souta, Kagome wanted to punch a wall. Why had Sherry forgotten about her? Kagome felt tears sting her eyes but she swallowed the lump in her throat, said goodbye to her grandmother, and started her walk home.

It was starting to get dark out and the sky looked gray. She could smell the thunderstorm the clouds held and smiled to herself. It was three weeks to summer and the weather was beautiful. Well, beautiful to her. She started to run the moment rain hit her shoulder. Suddenly, a car was right beside her.

"Hey Kagome!" She turned her head to find Sango.

"Hey... Wait, Sango?" Kagome said, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Yeah, what's going on?" She asked her.

"Nothing really." Kagome told her. She continued to run but slowed down a bit to see who else was in the car.

"Ha, remember this afternoon when I was like, 'See you tomorrow?'" Sango asked her. Kagome's eyes widened.

"It's Friday." Kagome said, hiding a laugh. "Maybe we were just so into our conversation it totally went over our heads." She said sarcastically and someone laughed from inside the car but she didn't know who. Kagome finally stopped running and the driver stopped driving.

"Come with us." Sango said and Kagome shook her head.

"Maybe... maybe next time." She said.

"Aww, come on. We're just going over Miroku's and hanging out. It's all harmless." Sango said. That's when Kagome saw who was in the car. Inuyasha was driving, Sango was behind him, Miroku and Kouga were beside her, and Kagura was in the front seat next to Inuyasha. She knew them all from elementary, middle, and high school.

"I can't, I'm sorry." Kagome said, somewhat sad.

"And why can't you?" Miroku asked poking his head out. "Ya hate me or something?"

"You're paranoid." Kagome said with a laugh. Then she began to walk away.

"I'm still following you Kagome." Inuyasha said in a normal voice. He knew she could hear him.

"So, you start talking to yourself yet?" Kagome asked with a smirk.

"Possibly." Inuyasha said slowly. "Later Higurashi."

"Mm, later." Kagome said, looking over at him. Then he drove off and left a cloud of dust in her face. "Heh, jerk." She muttered.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"Hey," Sango said as she slapped Inuyasha on the shoulder. "What did ya do that for?" She asked him, sitting back in her seat. She rolled down the window and lit a cigarette.

"Don't smoke in my car." Inuyasha said with a growl. Sango blew smoke in his face.

"Maybe one day I'll have a reason to quit." Sango said with a shrug, sticking her hand out the window. "Mmm, it's gorgeous out."

"Yeah, look at how the sun pokes through those dark clouds." Kagura said distantly. She rolled her window down. "Come on, pour already." Sango laughed and Kagura joined her. Inuyasha suddenly pulled his car over.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kouga asked him. He looked in his mirror and saw Kagome. She was running.

"Why is she running?" He asked softly. They all turned around to see Kagome.

"Beats me. She's kind of weird, huh?" Kagura asked and Sango punched her lightly on the arm. Suddenly Kagome stopped at the sight of their car.

"What the...?" She walked up to them and bent down. "You guys... Why are you still here?" She asked with confusion and Kouga looked at Inuyasha.

"No clue." He said. Inuyasha shrugged.

"We could at least give you a ride home. I felt... _bad_ that we didn't offer it."

"I like to walk." Kagome said, bewildered.

"Run." Inuyasha said and Kagome gave him a look. "Well, you _were _running weren't you?" He asked her and she shrugged.

"I like to run when it's raining. Makes me feel, I don't know, fr-" Kagome stopped herself.

'Stop telling them your life story, they couldn't care less.'

"Thanks anyway." She told him with a smile.

"Get in the God damn car!" Inuyasha said with true aggravation.

"I won't die, Inuyasha, I'm just walking." Kagome said with a smirk.

"Yeah, but I don't get why you can't accept my offer to drive you home." He said, getting angry.

"How do I know you aren't some stalker and just want to know where I live?" Kagome asked him with a raised brow.

"Well, that's easy. I could just follow you home." He told her and Kagome frowned.

"There's no room." She said, defeated.

"We'll make room." Sango said, throwing her cigarette out the window.

"Told you, you shouldn't do that." Kagome said, getting into the car. Sango smiled at her.

"I know, guess I didn't listen." She laughed.

"You never listen." Inuyasha said with frustration. He turned to Kagome and rolled his eyes. "I tell her all the fucking time, don't smoke in my car. Does she listen?" Kagome looked at Sango.

"No." She answered him softly.

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, she does not." Inuyasha chuckled quietly. "So, where do you live?" Inuyasha asked.

"See," They all looked at her. "Stalker, I tell ya." She shook her head and they all smiled, seeing how normal she actually was.

"Come on, Higurashi, where do you live?" He looked at her, turning around. "Or do I have to spell it out for you because you're so stupid?" Kagome stuck her tongue out at him but told him where to go.

"Thanks." Kagome muttered after about a minute of silence had gone by.

"No problem." Inuyasha said as he pulled into her driveway.

"Wow your house, it's-" Sango said slowly, trying to be nice.

"An ugly yellow?" Kagome said with a shrug and Sango laughed. "Bye." Kagome said, getting out of the car.

"Yeah, bye." Sango said. They all waved and waited for her to get inside.

"I told you, she's weird!" Kagura said once Kagome was inside. They looked through Kagome's large front window that didn't have a curtain. Kagome stood there, smiling ear to ear as a small boy ran into her arms.

"Dude, maybe she got pregnant really young!" Kouga said. "And that's her son." Kouga said. Inuyasha shook his head with a laugh.

"Maybe," He said, starting to drive away. Inuyasha looked up once more to the window and Kagome was still hugging that little boy. "Wait, she never missed any school days." They all gave him a look. Then he turned and drove away. "Yeah," He said, continuing his way to Miroku's. "That must be her little brother or something." He said and Kouga shook his head.

"Definitely her kid. There was something there that you can't, like, explain. Did you see the connection they had!"

"Whatever." Inuyasha said.

"Can you, I don't know," Miroku said with sarcasm to Inuyasha, leaning forward in the seat. "Pick up the pace?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Yep, sure." Inuyasha sped down the street, the rain pouring down.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Kagome walked into her house, shaking the rain that had gotten on her off. She thought about going back out and just standing there when they were gone but decided not to. She couldn't afford to get sick the last weeks of school. She wanted to get to her Senior year with everybody else. She couldn't believe she only had one more year of high school and then she was done. Well, that was if she didn't go to college and she didn't see how she would be able to.

Souta ran into her arms and she picked him up with a smile.

"Ooh, I love you, stupid." She said into his hair and Souta giggled.

"I love you too!" He said and Kagome's eyes widened. He never said 'I love you,' back. He just pretended to be grossed out. "_Stupid!_" He finished with a hysterical laugh. Kagome smirked and put him down.

"I didn't mean that, okay?" She asked him and Souta nodded his head. "I meant I love you, smarty!" Souta looked down at the ground.

"I'm not very smart." He said softly.

"Yeah you are!" Kagome said, with shock. "You're the only four year old I know who can talk in sentences. Now that is an achievement." Souta looked up at her and giggled softly.

"Mommy and daddy have been in their room _all_ day long." Kagome went near the door to see if she could figure out what was wrong.

"Oh yes!" Sherry screamed. "That's it. Oh baby, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't fight... Ahh, ah, ah, mm, oh, uh, ahhh!"

"Ewwww!" Kagome said in a disgusted whisper. "Ma, dad. Souta and I are going out to get something to eat."

"Kay, bring back some food!" Her father yelled back.

"Y-you taking the car?" Sherry asked with a small laugh and quiet moan. Kagome gagged.

"Yes, we'll be back later." She said. Then she heard her mother scream and_ had_ to get out of there.

"Mommy said they were playing!" Souta said from the living room and Kagome laughed out loud.

"Let's go." She said, taking his hand.

"Where are we going?" He asked Kagome and she wondered the same thing.

"Maybe we should go get something to eat then go out for ice cream like I promised we would yesterday." She said and Souta nodded his head with approval.

"Yeah, I think we should do that. I want something salty and sweet." He mimicked what their mother had often said. That she wanted something that was salty then something sweet and she always got what she wanted.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"So, what are you in the mood for?" Kagome asked Souta as she drove downtown to where there was an array of fast food places.

"Chicken!" He said loudly and she laughed.

"What else?" She asked him. She checked her pocket for money and sighed when she pulled out two fives. She checked the glove compartment and smiled when she found twenty bucks left there by her mother.

"Just chicken." He said, bouncing up and down in his seat. Kagome glanced over to make sure he was buckled. "What are you getting Kaggy?" He asked her and Kagome wondered the same thing.

"I think I'll just get some chicken." She said, laughing.

"Like me?" Souta asked and she nodded her head. "I have the best ideas!" He said and Kagome smiled.

"Yes, you do." She told him, pulling into a drive thru. Once she got their food she parked so they could eat.

"How come," Souta said with a mouth full of chicken and fries. "We never eat inside anymore?" Kagome shrugged as she ate her food in tiny bites. She'd bought them a large soda to share.

"I guess I'm sick of people." She muttered.

"Huh?" He asked her and she stared at him for a moment, smiling.

"Nothing. I just don't like going in anymore." She said shrugging.

"Okay," He said. Kagome could tell he wasn't happy that she didn't like going in but she couldn't help it. She'd just gotten the feeling people were overrated. Of course she loved her family, but that was all she truly needed.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

A few minutes later they were done eating and Kagome was driving to the ice cream shop.

"Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!" Souta chanted as Kagome smiled like a mad woman because he was driving her crazy.

"Yay look," Kagome said in a tired tone. "The ice cream shop." The ice cream shop was a place she and Souta went often and the owners knew and loved them. It was called The Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe. It was a small shop, on a street corner. Kagome and Souta loved eating their ice cream there. It was a place they'd go when their parents were fighting or doing other things that didn't include them.

They walked into the shop and found Myoga and Shiori, the owner and his daughter.

"Ah, Kagome and Souta!" Myoga said with a smile. "Back again. Ya know, you two are our best customers." He told Kagome and she tried to smile but couldn't. The only reason they came all the time was because their parents were insane.

"Souta, sit right up here." Shiori directed him to a circle chair that swiveled. A few were lined up where you paid for everything and Kagome and Souta usually sat there. Souta happily made his way over to his seat. "So, what would you like?"

"Hot fudge sundae!" He said excitedly and she giggled at the small boy.

"Coming right up." She said.

"And what about you Kagome?" Myoga asked kindly.

"We don't have enou... Actually, I'm not very hungry. Thanks though." She smiled and went over to sit with Souta. "How much is that?" She asked Shiori.

"Four dollars." She said. Kagome had enough for one sundae. When Myoga brought back two she went to protest but he just shook his head.

"It's on the house." Kagome smiled at him with thanks.

"Here." She gave Shiori the money then ate with her brother. For a while they talked with Myoga and Shiori because no customers were coming in.

"Look at the time," Myoga suddenly interrupted Shiori from her speech about college.

"Oh," Shiori said with realization.

"Yep, you guys aren't the only ones who come all the time." He said to Kagome. She tilted her head to the side.

"What do you...?" Kagome turned around and was shocked at who she saw.

"Higurashi?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Yeah, Inuyasha?" She asked and he nodded his head. Inuyasha smirked then sat two seats away from Kagome.

"And to think, I thought I had this place all to myself." He said after ordering a vanilla shake. "Hey Myoga." He said. Myoga nodded his head with a smile.

"So, what's up?" Shiori asked him and he shrugged.

"The usual, brother's being an ass." She nodded her head as if all of what he said was familiar.

"I'm not an ass..." Souta said with a trembling lip. Inuyasha turned to face the boy and smiled.

"I didn't mean you." He told him and Souta grinned at him crazily.

"Oh." He said simply, then continued to eat his treat.

"So, you're Kagome's brother?" Inuyasha asked him, remembering to tell Kouga he was right, and he nodded his head.

"Yep and I'm her favorite." He told him. Inuyasha laughed.

"So, there's more of you then?" He asked with a raised brow and Kagome shook her head, covering her mouth to hide the smile on her face.

"No." Souta said as if he were stupid. Inuyasha turned to Kagome.

"I'm confused." Kagome's lips twitched but she took her hand down to respond.

"I just," She crossed her arms in a stubborn way. "I just tell him he's my favorite." She said quietly with a shrug. Inuyasha shook his head at Kagome with sarcastic disapproval.

"That's very strange," He pointed out with a sip of his drink. Kagome laughed in spite of herself.

"So, when did you start coming here?" Kagome asked him and he sighed.

"When I noticed that it was a place I could be alone." Kagome shook her head.

"Me too, but that doesn't answer my question." He smirked.

"When my brother moved in. He's an asshole." He muttered the swear and Kagome thanked him for it. Souta heard enough cursing to last him a lifetime and he was only 4. She just ate her ice cream and nodded her head.

They talked for a few minutes about everything and nothing. And Kagome didn't tell him about her home life and he didn't tell her about his except that he hated his brother. It seemed like an unspoken rule.

"Hey kids, we're closing up soon." Myoga said to them and they both looked at the clock. Kagome looked over at Souta and felt guilt wash over her. He'd fallen asleep and it was already 11:30 p.m.

"Well, guess we should get going then." Inuyasha said to Kagome with a smile.

"Yeah," She agreed. "Thanks again for that sundae Myoga." Kagome said happily and Myoga came out from the back and looked at her in a strange way.

"Be happy, Kagome." He said with a small nod, then went back to work in the kitchen.

"Bye Myoga. See ya Shiori." Inuyasha said, putting money on the table for their tip. Kagome looked at the money and sighed. She was embarrassed she didn't have enough money to give them a tip.

"See you later, Inuyasha!" They said at the same time. Shiori was still out front, counting the money they had in the register.

"Come on Souta, let's go." Kagome said, picking him up.

"Bye Shiori..." Souta said with a large yawn. "Bye Myoga." He whispered then drifted off once more.

"Later Higurashi." Inuyasha said, heading over to his car parked next to hers.

"Later stalker." Kagome said with a smile. Inuyasha laughed then drove away. Kagome watched him leave, feeling something strange come over her and for some reason she felt light.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"So papa, what do you think about Kagome and Inuyasha?" Shiori asked with a smirk as they sat down to eat their nightly sundaes.

"What do you mean?" He asked, taking a nice bite of ice cream into his mouth.

"I mean, what do you think of them as a couple? Ya know, together?" She asked, watching Kagome as she smiled after Inuyasha's retreating car.

"I think," She looked at him with expectant eyes. "That only time will tell." He said wisely. She laughed and ate some ice cream.

"So you think they're good together, right?" She asked him. Myoga just pretended not to hear her and continued eating. Shiori smirked. "I _knew_ it, I knew it! You do think they're good together." Myoga shrugged, looking at his daughter.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said and Shiori giggled happily. She just loved a good romance and now one was unfolding right before her very eyes.

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**A/N: Hey, hope ya liked it! Please review. **


	4. So Mother Like

**Disclaimer - Hey, I sooo don't own Inuyasha.**

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**A/N: Thanks for the reviews from last chapter, they were magnific my darlinks! Any who, hope ya like this next one. Yay, yay, yay, yay for chapter FOUR!**

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That night Kagome put Souta to bed then returned to the living room to watch some television. As she channel searched, her mother came out of her room and sat down beside her. She took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Mooom," Kagome began but her mother shook her head.

"I know, I'll quit tomorrow." She told her but Kagome knew she was lying. She always lied but it helped Kagome get through. Kagome turned her head to look at her mother and noticed she was wearing a new silk blue bathrobe.

"Well, someone's living high and mighty." Kagome said with a smirk and her mother smiled sadly.

"Your father bought it for me." She said, taking a drag. "We don't have the money for him to go around buying shit." She muttered.

"Mom, you buy a bunch of stuff and he doesn't complain." Sherry looked at her daughter with a raised brow.

"So, you and Souta came home late." She said, flicking some ashes into the ash tray on the table.

"Yeah, we ate then went to get some ice cream." Her mother smiled slightly.

"Well, that's good. How's that kid doing, anyway?" She asked her daughter with a small frown. Kagome glanced at her mother. At least Sherry was aware that she sucked at parenting. Some people never got to realize that.

"Good, he's smart." Kagome said with a smile. Sherry nodded her head.

"Yeah I know, I cook good huh?" They laughed. "I'll be right back." Kagome sighed. Sherry went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "You want a beer?" She asked her daughter and Kagome, like always, declined the offer. "Kay," Sherry came out with the bud of her cigarette and two beers. One for her and... another one for her.

"Actually," Kagome said with a raised brow. "I think I will have one." Sherry laughed.

"You never want to have one but okay, here you go." Kagome took a sip of the odd tasting liquid.

"It's not..." Kagome paused to look at the bottle. She hated the aftertaste it gave her so she drank some more. "_That_ bad." Sherry laughed. She was already almost done with hers.

"Here, you want me to have it?" She asked. Kagome shook her head.

"I want it." She said. Sherry looked at her daughter, seeming concerned.

"Don't you go all alcoholic on my ass now, I can't handle that." She said. Kagome snickered quietly. She would never become an alcoholic. She'd never become her mother.

"Okay ma, whatever." She said, going into the kitchen with her beer.

"You're drinking that, right?" Sherry asked with a hint of need in her voice.

"Hell yeah," Kagome told her and Sherry felt sick. That was her last beer. Why the hell had she offered it to her 16 year old daughter?

"Baby, wanna give me some of that?" Sherry asked sweetly as she pretended to watch the TV. Kagome could hear the desperation in her mother's voice as she poured the liquid down the sink drain.

"Sorry," Kagome said, taking a huge gulp before it was completely gone. "All gone." She told her mother, coming back out into the living room. Sherry glared at Kagome.

"You didn't drink it." She said angrily. "That was _mine_ Kagome!" She said, getting up and walking over to Kagome to scream in her face.

"Mom, stop it." Kagome said, breathing the alcohol into her mother's face. Sherry stepped back and sighed.

"Sorry," She said quietly. "I just... I didn't have the best day." She said, forcing a smile. Kagome shook her head and felt like crying. Why couldn't her mother see she was an alcoholic? She didn't get how she could be in such denial. "Ah, fuck." She muttered.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"Well," She said with a sigh. "I gotta go get more." She said as if it were a hassle.

"Why?" Kagome asked, hurt.

"When you father wakes up he's gonna want some, you know that." She told her daughter. "Where are the car keys?"

"Mom, you're gonna get dressed right?" Kagome asked, reaching into her pocket for the keys.

"No shit, Kagome." She laughed; catching the keys after Kagome had thrown them to her.

"Mommy?" They both turned to find Souta, rubbing his left eye as he yawned.

"Yeah, come here baby." Sherry said, bending down and opening her arms for the child. "You wanna come with mommy?" She asked as she picked him up.

"Yeah, yeah!" He said with a smile and she laughed.

"Okay," She kissed his nose. "Just let mommy get dressed. Then we can go." She put Souta down and headed to her bedroom. "Kagome," She said turning around. "Can you get Souta dressed for me? Thanks." Then she disappeared behind her door.

"Come on Souta," Kagome said with a heavy sigh as she picked the boy up. Once she was finished dressing Souta she looked at him with a raised brow. "You sure you wanna go with her?" She asked and he nodded his head vigorously.

"I never see mommy!" He said, getting down from his bed and walking out into the living room to find his mother there, smoking a cigarette, hair up in a pony tail, and dressed.

"Ah, there's my boy. Ready?" She asked, grinning.

"Ready." He said with a curt nod of his head. Sherry took his hand in hers and turned back to Kagome.

"You want to come?" She asked her sincerely and Kagome shook her head with a smile.

"Thanks though," She said before they were gone. "I love you Souta." Kagome said quickly, almost forgetting to say goodbye.

"Eww," He and Sherry said at the same time with a giggle.

"Whatever," Kagome said, laughing. "Bye mom, love you too." Sherry turned back and winked at her daughter.

"Love ya babe!" She said, then left with her son. Kagome went to bite her nails out of nervous habit but decided to go for a walk instead.

"Dad?" Kagome questioned quietly as she knocked on her parents bedroom door then entered the room. He was staring dumbly at the television and drinking what looked like beer.

"Yeah?" He asked, slowly turning his head to look at Kagome. "What's up, bud?" He asked her and she shook her head with a small smile.

"I'm going for a quick walk around the block." She told him and he looked at the clock on top of his television. He frowned.

"Kid, it's really late." He told her, continuing to frown. "Maybe you shouldn't."

"Oh come on, just a quick walk around the block. I'll walk on the streets I know are safe." She said, smiling to reassure him. He knew she'd go, even if he did protest.

"No streets are safe at this time of night." He said seriously and she laughed. "Okay, get outta here." He reached into his pocket for some money.

"What's that for?" She asked him as he handed her a twenty dollar bill.

"In case someone tries to hurt ya, give em that." He said and Kagome laughed again.

"Okay dad, later."

"Bye honey." He said as Kagome shut his door.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"Where are we going mommy?" Souta asked softly as Sherry sped down the street, both windows all the way down.

"Liquor store," She said with a shrug. She slowed down, noticing he was falling forward in his seat. "You have you're seatbelt on, right?" She asked him, helping him up on his seat again.

"No." Sherry shook her head.

"Kid, babe, what if we got in an accident!" She said to him as she helped him with his belt.

"You don't have yours on." He said quietly, ashamed. Sherry looked at him and felt something come over. It only happened every once in a while but whenever it did, she went with it.

"You're right!" She said, reaching over and putting hers on. "That was wrong of me." She told him, driving the speed limit. "I should've buckled up before I yelled at you." Souta smiled at his mother and hugged her arm. Sherry laughed out loud and pat his head awkwardly. "Hon," She said softly. "I have to drive. Let me go," She said softly into his hair, feeling this whole new meaning come to her words as she pulled up to the store. She realized sadly that she wouldn't be the one to raise Souta, Kagome would. Unless she changed something about her life and that wasn't going to happen any time soon. She loved the way she lived.

"I wanna come in." He said with a whine and Sherry smiled at him.

"No, you should stay in the car." She told him. She looked around and it hit her that leaving him in the car would be really stupid. "Forget what I said before," She said quickly, grabbing his hand. "Let's go."

"Hey Shey, what's going on?" The guy behind the counter asked. Sherry smirked.

"Nothing. Just in to get a couple of beers and stuff." She said lightly and took Souta with her. "Who's been in today?" She asked and the guy shrugged.

"No one really. Just the same old people." He said and Sherry laughed.

"Yeah," Then she bought the beer and left with Souta.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Kagome walked the streets feeling happy. Her mother always seemed so mother-like in those moments she had with Souta. It made Kagome realize that no matter what, it was all worth it.

She walked around the block more than once that night and the whole time she felt that happy/depressed feeling she often got. Like when she saw the world and how beautiful it was in some new and strange way but was so sad. So depressed in every way. She couldn't explain it. As she smiled her tears were always present. Sure, she had her reasons to feel the way she did but she hated it. She wanted to scream and run and hide and laugh and cry. She just wanted to feel something other than what she was feeling then. Even if it was an amazing, awful thing to feel...

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**A/N: Hey, it's short, I know and I probably missed a few grammar mistake, hehe. I'm really s****orry, but I have to go take a shower and then study for my chorus midterm which is tomorrow lol. Hope you liked it and please review! Thaaaanks.**


	5. The Crying Drunk

**Disclaimer - I don't Inuyasha and I never will.**

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**A/N: Tried to get this 5th chapter up as soon as I could. Hope ya like it! Enjoy.**

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That night, Kagome came home to a very quiet house. She went into to Souta's room to see if Sherry and he had come back yet. When he wasn't there Kagome felt her face heat up and a pang of guilt in her stomach.

"Why the hell aren't they back yet?" Kagome asked herself as she went into the kitchen, turning the light on, then getting herself a drink of water. Worried tears began to form in her eyes. Suddenly, the front door opened and Kagome ran over to Souta.

"Kaggy, what's wrong?" He asked her, touching her wet cheeks.

"Nothing." She said, hugging him. Kagome wanted to ask Sherry why they had taken so long but she wasn't the mother so she couldn't, that would probably make her really pissed. Sherry glanced down at her daughter.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" She asked her softly and Kagome looked up at her angrily.

"_Nothing._" She bit out, taking Souta's hand and bringing him to his room.

"I had a really fun time with mommy." Sherry heard Souta say before Kagome slammed the his door behind her. She bent down on her knees and began to cry.

"What gives her any right to be _mad_ at me?" She asked aloud in a weak tone. She took a beer out of the bag she held and drank it down, still crying.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Kagome tucked Souta underneath his covers after she got him back into his pajamas. She touched his hair and brought it up.

"Hm, you need a haircut." She said with a smile and he shook his head.

"Mom says she likes it this way!" He said. "So I'm keeping it." Kagome shook her head.

"When did she say that?" She asked him, sitting beside him on his bed.

"Today, in the car." He said, sitting up and untucking himself.

"How come you're so hyper?" Kagome asked him and he just shook his head.

"I have no idea!" He said with a laugh. Kagome joined him when all of a sudden, Souta just fell onto his pillow. Kagome laughed louder, wondering what the hell he was doing and tried to wake him up.

"Sooooouta!" She said, smiling as she shook him. He opened his eyes and screamed into her face. She jumped. "What the hell!" She said, continuing to smile.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I love you," He yawned out then shut his eyes. Kagome laughed and shook her head.

"You're crazy," She whispered before she kissed his cheek then went to bed.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

The next day, Kagome woke up early; which was surprising. It was surprising because first of all, it was Saturday and second of all she'd gone to sleep at 3:45 in the morning.

She went into the kitchen and was happy to see that her mother had gone on a cleaning rampage. The kitchen was absolutely spotless. Her mother went through many different types of drunk and some were pretty okay with Kagome. Like the cleaning drunk, she liked that one. The crying drunk was not one that she liked.

She looked over at the stove clock and saw that it was 7:45 a.m.

"I think I'll make some breakfast." She said to herself with a smile. She opened the cabinets and found a bunch of nothing. "Huh, now the question is," She said seriously. "What do I make?"

"How about pancakes?" Kagome turned around to see her mother, holding groceries in her arms.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Kagome asked, walking over to help her out with the many bags she held.

"I just went grocery shopping because we were low on supplies, sue me." She said, handing Kagome three bags.

"You're not..." Kagome stopped herself.

"I'm not what?" Sherry asked innocently. "Oh come on Kagome, I'm not what?"

"You're not drunk, are you?" Kagome asked, feeling her anger from last night coming back.

"Kid, why do you always assume I'm drunk?" Sherry asked as they began walking into the kitchen to put away the groceries. Kagome looked at her and Sherry shook her head. "Never mind, don't answer that question." She said quickly.

"Mom, I'm sorry." Kagome said with a sigh. "But can you really blame me?" She asked and Sherry looked at her.

"I am_ never_ drunk!" Sherry said. "Sure I have the occasional beer every now and then but I am no alcoholic." She said. Kagome just began putting away some cereal boxes. "So," Sherry said after the awkward silence that had passed through the two. "Why are you up so early?"

"I don't know." Kagome said honestly. "I went to sleep late too, so I don't really get it." Sherry laughed.

"Maybe something told you that I would need help with these bags." Sherry said with sarcasm and Kagome smiled.

"Sure, maybe."

"So, got any friends yet?" She asked her and Kagome shook her head.

"Nope, why do you ask?" She wondered and Sherry shook her head.

"It's not normal, honey." Sherry said seriously and Kagome grinned.

"I don't care." She laughed. "Mom, friends are so stupid!" They finished up putting away the last of the groceries then Sherry walked over to the coffee maker and put it on.

"You want some tea?" She asked Kagome, knowing she hated it.

"No, yuck. I want some coffee though." She said.

"I need all the coffee in the world." Sherry muttered, touching her aching head.

"I bet you do." Sherry turned on her daughter sharply. "Sorry." Kagome said, not meaning it.

"It's fine." She said. "What do you want for breakfast?" She asked and Kagome wondered the same thing.

"Wait, weren't we or you," Kagome said with a smirk. "Going to make pancakes?" She asked and her mother nodded her head.

"Right." Then Sherry got out the instant box of pancakes and made them with a smile.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

As Kagome and Sherry sat down to eat, Souta came out from his bedroom tiredly.

"Hey kiddo," Kagome said smiling. Sherry looked at her son and sighed.

"Morning baby boy, what's up?" She asked and he shrugged.

"I smelled something really good." He yawned and Sherry and Kagome laughed.

"I made pancakes!" Sherry said excitedly and Souta clapped his hands together, waking up.

"Pancakes two days in a row!" Souta said happily as he sat down to eat the food that Sherry was cutting up for him.

"Wait, you had pancakes yesterday?" His mother asked him with a frown. "I thought this would be a special treat for you." She said, starting to take the plate away. Souta began to cry and Sherry sighed. "Honey, you don't want these."

"Yes I do!" He wailed and she threw them back in front of him.

"Fine, eat the pancakes." She said. Souta began to cry once more because sirrup had splattered onto the table and into his hair when Sherry had placed the food back down.

"Baby, stop it." Sherry said, touching her temples. "Eat the pancakes, okay? You can take a quick bath after you eat. Kagome will help you." She looked at Kagome. "Right? You'll help him won't you." Kagome nodded her head then looked at Souta.

"Go ahead, eat." She told him and he did so, his tears no longer flowling. Once he was finished he threw his plate out and put his fork into the sink. Then he walked back over to his chair and pushed it in. Sherry was grinning wildly at the sight of him.

"Who taught you that?" She asked him. He pointed at Kagome.

"Kagome did!" He said, laughing. "She said that you'd like it if I cleaned up after myself. Then she taught me _and_ showed me how to do it." Sherry laughed.

"Well, that was very good of her, wasn't it?" She said, smiling at her daughter. Then, Kagome and Souta both left for the bathroom. Once they were out of sight Sherry went to the fridge and pulled out a beer.

"And what do you think you're doing?" She turned to find her husband leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed. "You were doing so good. So why, Sherry, are you grabbing into that fridge and taking out another beer?" Sherry shook her head.

"I heard it's the best way to get rid of a hang-"

"Bull shit!" His said with a harsh laugh. "Hon, just admit it." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist in a controlling way. "You've got a problem." Sherry smiled evilly at him.

"Like you?" She asked in a condescending tone and he let her go, frowning.

"Bitch, give me that." He said, grabbing for her beer.

"Why?!" She fumed. "So you can have it? Get your own fucking beer. There's plenty in the God damn fridge." She then drank down some beer and went into the living room.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"They're fighting again." Souta said, looking down at the water around him. Kagome had taken off all his clothes besides his boxers and had already begun bathing him.

"No," Kagome said softly. "They aren't. That's just how they talk to one another." Kagome laughed inwardly at what she'd said.

"Stop lying." Souta said, wiping angrily at his eyes.

"Okay," Kagome made him look at her. "I will."

"So, it's true?" He asked her and she nodded her head.

"But Souta, sometimes that's how people show their love for one another." She lied.

Hadn't she just said a moment ago she's stop that?

"Well, it's really stupid." He said as Kagome rubbed some tear-free shampoo into his hair.

"Yeah," She said with a sad smile. "It is."

"I'm glad that we don't fight." He said softly. "I'm glad that you are nice, Kaggy." He said and Kagome hugged his head, making her shirt wet and soapy.

"You're pretty nice too, you know." She said with a laugh. Souta giggled into her arm and pushed her away with a splash. "Hey thanks, I haven't showered for months!" She with playful sarcasm and Souta made a face.

"Even _I'm_ cleaner than you!" They laughed.

"Come on, let's get you washed up." Kagome said, scrubbing his back.

When Souta's bath was finally over, Kagome took him out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his whole body.

"I'm c-c-cold." Souta said while he shook.

"I know," Kagome rubbed his arms to help. "But let's get you dressed and then you'll be warm." They walked into his room and Souta was dressed within minutes. "Mom?" Kagome called out into the living room.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"I'm bringing Souta over to Nana Hikari's." She said, coming out with a dry and dressed Souta.

"Okay," Sherry said, her eyes never leaving the television set. Then she slowly turned to face her children with a smile. "You going for a visit too?" She asked and Kagome nodded her head. "Okay." Sherry yawned. "Come here angel," She told Souta, opening her arms for him to hug her. He ran into them as he laughed crazilly.

"I love you mommy," He said into her neck and Sherry kissed his ceek leaving a bright red lipstick stain in its place.

"Yep, I love you too." She said to him, hiding her tears.

'Oh God,' Kagome thought. 'The crying drunk.'

"Bye babies!" Sherry said, tears in her eyes. "I love you!" She said dramatically.

"Love you too mom. We'll be back way later." Kagome said quietly.

"Wait!" Her mother ran over to the door in a lazy stuppor. "Are you," She swayed. "Taking the car?" She asked with a burp. Kagome smirked. She didn't want to laugh at her mother but sometimes it was a way to accept it.

"Yeah. See you later mom." Then they left their poor, drunk, crying mother all to herself. She literally had no one because their father had gone out a few moments before.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!" She sobbed, rocking back and forth. "Come back, come back to me babies. I love you!" She whispered hysterically and the worse part was, Kagome had heard her.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

In the car Kagome had been very quiet and that worried Souta.

"What's wrong, Kaggy?" He asked her softly and Kagome glanced at him with a quick smile.

"Nothing," She thanked God that Souta hadn't heard their mother because if he had he would've turned around immediately and seen some things that a child his age just couldn't comprehend.

"We're going to nana's, right?" He asked, hiding his smile because Kagome was being so serious.

"Yep," She said, slowing down slightly and ruffling his hair. He pushed her hand away with a small laugh.

"Stop being so sad Kagome." He begged her when they reached Hikari's driveway. "I'm not sad!" He gave her his best smile then jumped out of the car. Kagome shook her head with a small laugh. Hikari opened her front door.

"You coming in?" She asked Kagome. She shook her head.

"Nope," She said as she rolled down the window. "It's just Souta today." She said and Hikari looked at the watch that was on her wrist.

"Oh look, it's lunch time!" She said, smiling at her grandson. "Say goodbye to your sister." They both turned to Kagome who was smiling at them from the car.

"I love you." She mouthed at Souta who mouthed it back to try and make her happy again. He hugged his nana's leg and they both waved goodbye.

"Bye honey, have a nice day!" Hikari said. "Wait," She said, coming down from her porch to see her granddaughter up close. "Where you going?" Souta was still up at the front door, looking up at the sky. Kagome shrugged, wiping at the tears in her eyes.

"The mall, the library?" She said. "I don't know, I'm going anywhere." She said. "But I'll stay safe, I promise." She blew Hikari a kiss then began to drive away. "Love you nana!" She yelled, not looking back.

"I love you too, Kagome." Hikari said softly, knowing she wouldn't have heard her even if she had yelled or said it to her right in the face. Kagome was far off in another time and place and no one but herself would be able to bring her back.

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**A/N: Hope you liked it. The next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Please review!**


	6. The Library

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha.

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A/N: Hey, thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. They rocked a lot lol. Kay, hope you like this next one!

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Kagome had decided to go down to the library. It was a quiet and calm place and she knew that it would be because it was one of the main rules of any library. She cried a little on the way there but she made sure that she seemed perfectly normal before she walked in. She blew on her bangs tiredly then parked the car.

"What am I doing here?" She asked herself when she was actually inside. "I don't even have a library card."

"Well, you can go and get one." She turned towards the voice with a frown.

"Miroku?" She asked and he nodded his head. He was sitting on one of the couch seats that were around the library here and there. They were set up in small sections of four. He had his feet up on a table that was in the middle of the group of seats. She walked over to him. "Hi." She said quietly.

"Why ya being so quiet?" He asked, sitting up. He closed the book he'd been reading and took off the glasses that he was wearing.

"I didn't know you wore glasses." Kagome said, still being quiet but not as quiet as she had been. She sat down next to him as he frowned.

"Yeah, I do. Huh," He said, shaking his head.

"What is it?" She asked him, picking up a magazine that was placed on the table. She didn't know why she was talking to him she just needed something to distract her.

"I just can't believe you hadn't noticed that I wear glasses." He said, laughing quietly. "I'm in almost all of your classes." He said to her.

"Wow," Kagome muttered. "I didn't even know _that._" She said then something struck her. She didn't know anyone that was in any of her classes. She just didn't seem to notice them; they weren't important. He raised a brow.

"You know, you're weird Kagome." He said slowly.

"Why thank you, I'm so happy that you think so." She said and he laughed.

"Which is why I gotta ask: why are you so normal now?" Then he picked up his book, put his glasses back on, and began to read once more.

"I don't know," Kagome muttered. Miroku looked at her over his book.

"You don't know." He repeated. "Well, neither do I." He smiled at her. "Ya know what?" He asked her.

"What?" She asked, looking at him.

"You should hang out with me and the others tonight."

"Who?" Kagome asked.

"Inuyasha, Kouga, Kagura, Sango, and me." He smiled at her. "Oh look, here comes Inuyasha now." He stopped smiling as he came closer.

"Inuyasha?" Inuyasha looked at Miroku. "Why do you look like you're about to kill someone?" He asked. He put his book down again and took his glasses off.

"Why in the hell are you wearing those?" He asked.

"Uh, because I need to." Miroku said. "Fucking idiot." He muttered.

"No, you don't. I've known you for, how long?" He asked. "That's right, practically your whole life. So, I think I'd know whether or not you need to wear glasses when you're reading."

"Wait, so you don't need them?" They both looked at Kagome and Miroku smiled sheepishly.

"Chicks dig smart guys?" He used for an excuse and she laughed.

"Oh," She said, still laughing. "See, I knew I wasn't _that _stupid. I never remembered seeing you with glasses."

"Yeah, honestly Miroku." Inuyasha said. "I mean, Christ, I know you need them when your watching television but not when you're reading. It would make everything _huge!_ Trust me," He looked over at Kagome who was sitting there, confused out of her mind. "I've tried them on, I would know." He looked at the book Miroku had been reading and frowned. "Do you even know what you're reading?" He asked, picking up the book.

"Actually, I-" Miroku grabbed for the book but was too late. Inuyasha looked inside to find a porn magazine. He chuckled.

"Nice reading selection." He said in a whisper. Miroku blushed slightly but shrugged.

"Not like you don't have a few back at your house." He said and it was Inuyasha's turn to blush.

"Whatever," Inuyasha said, sitting down. Miroku did as well but that time he kept the book on the table and his glasses off. He, of course, had taken out the magazine and put it into his jean pocket. "So, I didn't know you and Higurashi were hanging out now." Inuyasha said after a few moments of silence.

"We're not." Kagome said and Miroku looked at her.

"Which is why I asked you to come tonight." He said to her.

"I never said I was coming." Kagome said, folding her arms over her chest. "Besides, my little brother, I have to pick him up soon." She said and they both looked at her like she was crazy.

"You're little brother must be really important to you." Miroku muttered.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, he is!" Kagome said angrily and Miroku's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean to offend you, calm down." He said and Inuyasha glanced at Miroku then looked back at Kagome.

"You should come tonight." He said to Kagome and she put her face in her hands.

"I can't, my brother." She repeated.

"Where is he now?" Inuyasha asked. "Daycare or something." Kagome shook her head.

"My grandmother's." She told them, preparing to leave.

"Wait," The two boys said at the same time.

"Why?" She asked, relaxing into her seat.

"You need to have a nice time, Kagome." Miroku said.

"You need to not be so... you." Inuyasha said, struggling to explain himself. Miroku punched him in the arm then looked back at her. "You need to let loose once in a while, get me?" He asked and Kagome nodded her head.

"Yeah, I understand what you're saying. I just don't really want to." She said, shrugging.

"Oh," Miroku said with false anger. "So you just hate us and used your brother as an excuse to get out of coming tonight."

"Actually," Kagome frowned. "I really should be going to get him now." She glanced at the clock that was on the wall. "That thing right?" She asked and Inuyasha and Miroku shrugged.

"No idea," Inuyasha said, pulling out his cell phone. "It's about 2." He said then put his cell phone back into his pocket. "Hey, I have an idea." Miroku looked at his friend with a raised brow.

"That's a first," He muttered and Inuyasha glared at him.

"Shut up," He said then looked back at Kagome. "You should come get some lunch with us." He said and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You're kidding me, right?" She asked. "Sorry boys, not today." Kagome said, getting up from her seat. "Nice seeing ya."

"No, wait." Inuyasha grabbed her arm lightly. "Why won't you go to lunch with us?" He asked her.

"I have no money," She said still walking away. Behind them, Miroku had caught up and was just listening to their conversation.

"We'll pay." Inuyasha told her and Kagome frowned.

"Nope, then I'd feel bad and have to pay you back. Which would only mean I'd be seeing you two again and I can't do that." She said, shaking her head.

"Why won't you let yourself have any friends?" Inuyasha said, getting angry.

"Because." She said with a shrug and he growled.

"That was a reeeally annoying answer." He told her. Kagome smirked at him.

"Okay." She said, still walking away towards the door. Then, once she was out of the building, over to her parked car.

"Kagome, just this once, come with us to lunch." Inuyasha said and she slowed down. "I won't ask you to do another thing, ever again." He said and she smiled slightly.

"Okay, lunch. I'm hungry anyway."

"You're joking, right?" Miroku asked and they both turned to look at him. "What?" He asked her and she continued to stare. "You were just so stuck on saying no I thought we would never get a yes out of you."

"We?" Inuyasha asked with a smirk. "That was all me, buddy." He said, patting Miroku sympathetically on the back. "You can't back out now, you know that, right?" Inuyasha asked her and she nodded her head.

"I know but we're just going to lunch. There's no harm in that." She said lightly. Miroku smirked.

"Okay, I'll just call up the others and they can meet us there." Kagome eyes widened.

"What do you mean 'others'?" She asked and Inuyasha and Miroku laughed.

"You never put any rules on the lunch. You only promised you were going." Inuyasha said and Miroku called up their friends.

"I _never_ promised!" Kagome said in a low whisper because Miroku was on the phone.

"You said you'd go, so that's that!" Inuyasha argued.

"Fine!" Kagome yelled in his face once Miroku was through with the phone. "But I will _not_ enjoy myself and I will _not_ talk to anyone. It'll be like I'm not even there!" She said to them and they both looked at one another.

"Whatever you say Kagome." Miroku said, walking over to her car.

"Sure Higurashi, you keep thinking that." Kagome glared at Inuyasha.

"Wait," They both turned around to face her. "Why are you walking over to my car?" She asked with a confused frown.

"Because," Inuyasha answered with a laugh. Kagome's right eyebrow twitched crazily.

"We didn't come with a car." Miroku told her, getting in.

"Ugh, you two are impossible." She said, getting into the driver's seat. "Why do you have to sit up front?" She asked Inuyasha.

"I know you more than he does?" He asked and she frowned.

"That's true," She said, nodding her head. "But what does that have to do with the front seat?" She asked him and he shrugged.

"Maybe it's just because I _want_ to sit here?" He asked and Kagome shook her head.

"I don't _care,_" Kagome said, wondering why they were still talking. "Whatever floats your boat." She began to drive away then stopped. "Any chance one of you will let me know where the hell we're going?" She asked, hitting the wheel.

"Right, Friendlys (A/N: Don't own)." Miroku told her and she hit the gas.

"What a nice name that place has." Inuyasha said with sarcasm. "I mean, _Friend_lys, it's just so nice." He said, smiling lazily.

"Yeah, what an ironically nice name for the place we're going to." Kagome said with a growl. Inuyasha looked at her, bemused.

"You're really suffering through this." He said and Kagome nodded her head.

"Yeah," She bit out. "I am."

"Which only makes this all the more fun." He said, smirking. "Higurashi, you've been missing out on a lot these past years and you're about to find out exactly what 'a lot' is."

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A/N: I have no clue what 'a lot' is going to be. Just thought I'd let you all know... lol It was just a perfect sentence to end the chapter on, even if it was short. Anyway, please review my darlinks!


	7. Lunch at Friendly's

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha. Do you? o.O thought so...

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A/N: Hey, chapter 7 is finally here! Thanks for the reviews they rock, like always. Now, read on and enjoy!

The song in this chapter is No One by Aly and AJ and I hope you download it and listen to it when the time comes.

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As Kagome pulled into the restaurant's parking lot she felt her stomach tie up into a huge nervous knot.

"Time to go." Inuyasha said after the tenth second had passed and Kagome hadn't moved a muscle. Kagome rolled her eyes and they got out of the car. She looked over at the two boys walking beside her and sighed. She was only going through with lunch to get her mind off of her mother.

"Hey, over here!" Kagome turned her head as they walked into Friendly's.

"How did they get here before us?" Miroku asked. "I mean, I called them!"

"No idea, let's go." Inuyasha said with a sigh. The three walked over to the large table that Kouga, Kagura, and Sango were sitting at.

For some reason, to Kagome's dismay, she was at the head of the table and they were all staring at her; their eyes wide open. Sure they all had to blink some time but that wasn't very often and Kagome felt the pressure.

"Whaaat?" She finally asked. Sango laughed at her then blew the paper wrapped around her straw into her face, continuing to laugh at the blank stare Kagome gave her.

"Guys, stop staring at her." Inuyasha said quietly, shifting in his seat. Soon they ordered their food and after they got their lunches an awkward silence had settled upon them.

Kagome's bangs hid her eyes and Inuyasha raised a brow as her shoulders began to shake.

"Is she crying?" Kouga asked in a whisper. Inuyasha glared at him and growled.

"And I'm supposed to know this, how?" He asked with a clenched fist. Kagome finally lifted her head and tears were streaming down her face. But they weren't tears of sadness.

"Hahahaha," She laughed. "You all thought it would be so easy to 'get to me.' To just break me!"

"Uh," Sango's eyes twitched. "You alright there?" She asked and Kagome nodded her head, trying to stop laughing.

"Yeah," She smirked at them. "I'm fine." She breathed out and Kagura smiled in a scared way.

"I told you!" They all looked at her. "Weird." Suddenly, Kagome was no longer laughing.

"So, is that why you wanted to eat lunch with me? To see how weird I could be. To see if I was a freaking insane person." She said, an evil smile playing at her lips.

"Actually, no. The only one who thinks you're weird is Kagura." Inuyasha said. They all nodded their heads in agreement and Kagome sighed.

"Well," She began heavily. "Aren't we all a little weird?" She asked, eating some of her salad.

"Yeah, that's true." Kagura said, smiling slightly. "I'm _really_ nuts." Kagome laughed.

"See, told you." She said, continuing to eat.

"This is so awkward." Miroku said, finally breaking some ice.

"Yeah, it is." Inuyasha said and Sango glared at him.

"What do you suggest we do then?" She asked and Kagome looked at Inuyasha.

"Yeah, what do you suggest?" She asked, shrugging.

"I really have no idea. Wanna catch a movie or something?" He asked them and Kouga shook his head.

"And that leaves a lot of room for getting to know Kagome. Good idea, genius." Kouga said.

"Why thank you!" Inuyasha said, not missing a beat. "I always thought I was smart." He said with a smile. "Just not 'genius smart,' ya know?" Kouga poked him with his fork and Miroku laughed. Kagome could see how close they all were. It made her sort of regret how closed up she was.

"How about we just go down to Ivy Park." Sango said after all was quiet once more.

"Sounds good." Inuyasha said, clapping his hands together. "You in Kagome?" Kagome was staring at her empty salad plate in a daze. Thinking about friends, hate, love, all that good stuff. "Ka-go-me!" Inuyasha clapped his hands on each syllable. Kagome's eyes fluttered slightly then she looked up at him and Inuyasha felt a little uneasy under her gaze. But, in some ways, he also didn't want to take his eyes away from hers. They seemed to be telling him something. They seemed to be screaming something at him.

(Quick Reminder - The song is **No One** by **Aly & AJ.** Download it now if you don't have it because it kind of goes perfect with the moment. I'm being dead serious lol even if it is from a movie soundtrack. Music starts now...)

"Yeah?" She asked him.

"Are you coming with us?" He asked. "Cause you ate lunch and so I don't want to be pushing you into another thing you don't want to do." He said awkwardly. "Plus, your brother-"

"Can wait." Kagome said with a small smile. "I want to go." Inuyasha's eyes widened. Then he smirked and Kagome frowned then crossed her arms over her chest.

I am moving through the crowd  
Trying to find myself  
Feel like a guitar that's never played  
Will someone strum away?

"What is it?" She asked, still frowning. Inuyasha barked out a laugh.

"I think we're winning you over." He said, throwing a fry at her. Kagome shook her head.

"Not true!" She said and Inuyasha nodded his head.

"Yeah it is." He said, a hint of something like triumph in his voice. Kagome's frown faltered slightly.

And I ask myself  
Who do I wanna be?  
Do I wanna throw away the key?  
And invent a whole new me  
And I tell myself  
No one, no one  
Don't wanna be  
No one but me...

"Whatever," Kagome said quietly. She wouldn't let herself think about it. "Who's coming with me?" She asked and Miroku smiled at her.

"Who do you think?" He asked her and Kagome laughed emotionlessly.

"Right, you and Inuyasha. I completely forgot you guys came with me." She said and she'd done so deliberately. "When are we leaving?" She asked, clearing her throat.

"As soon as everyone's done eating." Sango said happily. "Which is now." Kagura and Kouga laughed. She rolled her eyes at them.

You are moving through the crowd  
Trying to find yourself  
Feelin' like a doll left on a shelf  
Will someone take you down?

As Kagome drove towards the park she felt like she was betraying herself. Like she was letting go of something very dear to her. But another part of her seemed to want, to need to be going where she was going. She felt something so much bigger than herself coming up in the road and she didn't know what she'd do when she came across it.

And you ask yourself  
Who do I wanna be?  
Do I wanna throw away the key?  
And invent a whole new me  
Gotta tell yourself  
No one, no one  
Don't wanna be  
No one but me...

She could hear Inuyasha and Miroku directing her where to go somewhere in the distance and she knew she was following them she just wasn't all there.

"Take a left there," Inuyasha said. "Then right." He glanced over at Kagome and smiled. "And we're here." Kagome stayed in the car for a while, just watching the others toss the football Kouga had brought with him. Sango and Kagura were sitting on the sweet, green grass and laughing at the boys. Who was she to intrude on such a good thing? She was nothing.

Your life plays out on the shadows of the wall  
You turn the light on to erase it all  
You wonder what it's like to not feel worthless  
So open all the blinds and all the curtains

Kagome shook her head. No, that wasn't right. She was just making up excuses again.

She felt like driving away that very moment but she stopped herself.

"No, just see what it's like." Kagome told herself. She decided that she would take a little peak into their lives. See what she might be able to have one day. See what she was missing.

No One, No One  
Don't wanna be  
No One  
But me...

"Kagome, come sit with us!" Kagura called her over and Kagome smiled on the inside. Friends weren't so horrible. But she knew that she was just pretending. That they weren't really her friends and she could never give them the friendship that they wanted.

We are moving through the crowd...

Kagome sat down beside the girls.

"You _like_ him?" She heard Kagura ask with a gasp. "No freaking way."

"Yeah, I know!" Sango said, blushing. Kagome could only imagine who they were talking about. She turned to look at the boys and smirked. Maybe they were talking about one of them...

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

"Come on, let's spread further apart." Kouga said, running down the field.

"Eh, whatever." Inuyasha said with a shrug. "I don't even get why we're playing. We should be hanging out with them." He threw the football over to Miroku and nodded over at the girls.

"Let them talk for a bit. Ya know, get their girliness out." Miroku said with a grin.

"Yeah, that's why we're doing this. Now throw the ball Miroku!" Kouga yelled.

"Oh, wow. Why didn't I think about that?" Inuyasha asked, catching the ball after Miroku had tried and failed.

"I don't know." Kouga shrugged. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"Why do I suck at this?" He asked and Inuyasha and Kouga snickered quietly.

"Baseball is more your kind of sport." Inuyasha said, tossing the ball Kouga.

"Umm, dude, we're just tossing the ball around. How can someone suck at this?!" Miroku asked again and Inuyasha shrugged, laughing again.

"Inuyasha?" Inuyasha turned toward the voice and raised a brow.

"Sango, what's up?" He asked.

"Kagome, she's so quiet." Kagura had come over with Sango and Kagome was sitting alone.

"Yeah, and?" He asked.

"What are we supposed to talk about?" Kagura asked, aggravated with Kagome. "Sango and I are trying here."

"Kagome!" Kagome had her knees up at her chest and was staring at the grass, looking sad. "My God," He sighed. "How pathetic can you get?" He asked.

"Well-" Kouga began.

"That was rhetorical." He bit out, walking over to her. "Kagome," She groaned.

"What?" She asked and Inuyasha sat down beside her.

"Maybe you could give us a break. We're trying here." He said and Kagome shook her head.

"I know." She said quietly. "Inuyasha, I want this." His eyes widened.

"You do?" He asked.

"Yep, I want friends. But I know better so I leave it at the back of my mind and go through my days without them. It's actually pretty easy." She said. "Usually."

"What do you mean?" He asked her, picking at the grass.

"Remember the day at the ice cream shop?" She asked him, looking over into his eyes.

"Yeah." He said.

"Well, I needed a friend then. It wasn't very easy without one. Then you came along and it was... nice to talk." She told him. "I don't know. I know I need something for myself but I just can't see friends as that thing."

"Try it out." He said with a shrug. "We'll give you all the time you need before you make up your mind." He told her and Kagome smiled.

"You mean you will." She said and he smirked.

"Hey, they just expected you to crack immediately." He said and Kagome laughed.

"I almost did. Quite a few times actually." She said with slight sarcasm.

"Is that right?" He joked and she laughed.

"You should get back to your oh so fun game of 'toss.'" She taunted and he rolled his eyes.

"Now I'm gonna make you play because, in truth, it is pretty damn fun." He jumped up from the ground and wiped his pants. "Come on." He put out a hand for her to grab and Kagome made a face.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" She asked dumbly and Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Cooome on!" He said and Kagome snickered.

"Okay, okay. But I don't need help getting up. I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself." She said, getting up from the grass.

"What, you thought that I was offering my hand to help you get up?" He asked. "No, I don't do that." He said in a blunt way and Kagome laughed.

"What the fuck are you saying?" She asked him as she began to walk towards the group.

"I actually don't know." He said with a sigh.

"We've decided we're going out to get some ice cream!" Sango said, meeting them halfway. They bother glanced at each other and laughed. "Okaaay," Sango said.

"Let's just get some ice cream at, like, a fast food place or something." Kagome said and Inuyasha glanced at her. He was happy she hadn't said anything about their secret place.

"Yeah," Sango agreed. "Guys, come on!" She called over at the others. "Ice cream time." She said happily and Kagome forced a smiled.

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

"I suck at chemistry." Kouga said, eating some ice cream. They'd decided to go back to Friendly's. "And it's not like we need it in life." He said shrugging.

"Oh I know!" Sango said, drinking some of her shake. "I think that the second we get out of middle school we should go to a place that will help you learn everything you need to know about the job you wanna get when you're an adult. And that is not what college is, my friend. It's just not." She said to Inuyasha who was about to protest.

"I agree, just skip high school and get right into life." Kagura said.

"That seems logical. Or it seems a bit harsh and fast." Kagome said, taking a bite of her ice cream. "I mean, when would you have time to be teenager?" She asked. They all looked at her with confusion in their eyes. "When would you have time to just learn all there is to know about life?" She wondered out loud. "I mean, I take something out of class every day and it usually has nothing to do with the subject itself."

"True, sort of." Kouga put in. "And I bet we'd all do different things so we'd barely see one another."

"Yeah, exactly. We wouldn't have the same friends. We'd just be around people who want to do what we want to do."

"Hey, speak for yourself." Inuyasha said sarcastically. "You have no friends." Kagome smiled.

"Oh, that's right. I completely _forgot._" She punched him on the arm and he winced.

"Ow," He said, shocked. Miroku laughed and pat him on his back.

"Now you know how I feel." He said and Sango crossed her arms over her chest.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked and Miroku gulped.

"Nothing."

"Thought so." Kagome raised a brow.

"Does she... beat you or something?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"No, leave it alone. It's something that we can't help." He said and Kagome smiled.

"You guys are crazy." She muttered, eating some more ice cream.

"You're one to talk." Kagura joked and Kagome laughed.

"Oh right, sorry that's me." Kagome said and Kagura grinned.

"Yep."

"Tomorrow is Sunday." Sango said bluntly and they all laughed, including Kagome.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." Miroku said and Sango rolled her eyes.

"I was just saying." She said with a shrug.

"I kind of hate Sundays." Kagome said, stirring her melting treat.

"Why?" Kouga asked out of curiosity.

"Because the whole day you're thinking about Monday and school. Yuck." She said and they all nodded their heads.

"So true." Sango said quietly.

"Actually. I try to not think about it." Inuyasha said with a smile.

"Yeah, but that's still thinking about it. You're going 'can't think of Sunday' so there ya go, you just thought about it." Kagome said, nodding her head.

"Right." Inuyasha said. "You're gone. What time is it?" He asked.

"Um," Miroku took out his cell phone. "5:50." He said and Kagome's eyes widened.

"I should go pick up Souta. It's almost dinner time." She said.

"It's now or never." Kouga said seriously to himself. They all looked at him.

"What the hell is he doing?" Inuyasha asked Miroku and he shrugged.

"Kagome," Kagome looked at him, just as serious. "Is that kid yours?" He asked and Kagome stared at him for a moment then burst out laughing.

"I thought that it was clear that he's my brother!" She laughed out. "No, Kouga. He's my brother nothing more." She told him, sobering up.

"Kay, just wondering." Kouga said with a shrug.

"Wow, I can't believe you guys thought that he was mine!" She said with surprise. "Why didn't you ask me about it earlier?" Sango shrugged.

"Don't know." She said. "Maybe it's because we thought we'd scare you away." She said and Kagome giggled quietly.

"That's just too funny. Inuyasha," He looked over at her. "I thought you had told them he was my brother." She said and he shrugged.

"Sue me, I forgot." He said and Kagome smiled.

"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." She said, getting up from the table and taking one last bite of her ice cream. "Do you two need a ride home?" She asked Inuyasha and Miroku.

"I do, thanks." Inuyasha said.

"Nah, thanks though." Miroku said and Kagome understood. He wanted to spend some more time with his friends.

"Come on then Inuyasha, we're off." Kagome said.

"Yep, let's go." He laid down some money on the table. Kagome put down a five which was all she had.

"See ya later." Miroku said to them.

"Byeeee!" Sango and Kagura said at the same time.

"Later Inuyasha. Bye Kagome." Kouga said. Kagome snickered the moment they were out of the building.

"What?" Inuyasha asked with a laugh. "What is it?" Kagome turned to face him as they walked over to her car.

"Notice how he said 'later' to you but 'bye' to me." She said.

"Um, soooo?" He asked, getting into the car.

"It's just a sign. I'm not meant to hang out with you guys again." She said simply, pulling her keys out of her pocket.

"Oh yeah, it was a huge sign." Inuyasha said sarcastically and Kagome nodded her head.

"Yep, so I guess I'll just have to follow it." She said.

"Whatever Higurashi. You're hanging out with us again." He said, almost angrily.

"I love you Inuyasha. You crack me up." She said, laughing tiredly.

"Wow Kagome, you've just confessed your love for me!" Inuyasha said with false enthusiasm.

"Oh shut up." Kagome said.

"No, really. It's a miracle, she feels!" He said out the window.

"Get your head back in the car." She yelled at him. "You wouldn't want an accident happening, would you?" She asked and Inuyasha raised an alarmed brow. "I mean, I wouldn't be held responsible for what _could_ possibly happen to your head." Inuyasha laughed.

"You kill me Kagome." He said, leaning his head on the chair.

"That's my intention." She said, smiling.

"Admit it." He said suddenly, looking at her. "You had fun. Or at least some fun." He said.

"Okay, I'll admit that it was interesting." She told him and he smirked.

"Well, it's a start." He said.

"So, where do you live?" She asked him.

"Hey, we're moving a bit too fast. Slow it down, Higurashi." He joked and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Seriously." She said. "I have to get to my brother as fast as possible."

"Aw, and I was having fun hanging out. Just you and me." He grinned and Kagome couldn't help but smile. "All right," He sighed. "I'll show you where to go."

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

"So, this is where I live." Kagome looked at his house and smiled. It was nice, she'd give him that. His house seemed like it was supposed to. Very homey in some ways.

"Nice place." She said, nodding over at the three story house. He smiled slightly and Kagome could've sworn he was almost sad.

"Well, it used to be _really_ nice." He told her and Kagome frowned.

"Used to?" She asked and Inuyasha woke up from his daze and his smile widened.

"Never mind." He said, opening her door. "Bye Higurashi." He said, keeping the door open for a moment.

"See," She said. "You said 'bye' too. _Now_ it's a huge sign." She told him.

"Fine," He bent down so that he was eye level with her. "Later Kagome." He went to shut the door but didn't and bent down again then handed her a card. "That's my number." He told her.

"Okay, thanks." He waited and she stared at him. "What?" She asked after a while. Kagome sighed then ripped a piece of paper out of a random notebook in the car and wrote her number on it. "That's mine." She said in a very monotone voice. He laughed warmly.

"Thanks. Laaater." He called over his shoulder as he walked over to his door.

"Yep, later." Then she drove away.

* * *

A/N: I bet you anything I missed A LOT of grammar mistakes but I had literally NO TIME to fix them because it's late and I have school tomorrow and I seriously don't feel like getting yelled at. So, I hope you like it, please review, niiight and byeness.

O.o Liz


	8. Did You Know Souta Can Tie His Shoes

**Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha.**

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry for such the long wait. Now, read and enjoy! Please review once you've read... o.O I love you. Hope that's enough motivation lol!

* * *

A week had passed and Kagome hadn't heard from any of them. No one had said hello in the halls, no one had smiled in her direction, and Inuyasha hadn't called her. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when Monday came along and nothing had happened. She'd gone through her daily routine as she usually did. Then on Tuesday she expected at least Sango to harass her at lunch but Sango had sat at another table. By Friday Kagome just got used to it again.

"Thank God it's Friday," She whispered to herself as she walked into the building.

"I agree, Friday _is_ a good day." Someone said behind her. Kagome turned around to find herself face to face with none other than Inuyasha.

"Oh no!" She moaned, banging her head against a locker. "I thought I was free of you." She told him.

"Oh, so you want me to leave then?" He said trying to hide his anger and hurt. "I, we, just gave you your space to see if you'd realize that you missed us. Obviously not." He growled.

"Inuyasha, I don't mean to offend any of you. I just-"

"Maybe we should've kept pestering you." He said more to himself than her. "Would that have worked?" He asked her and Kagome shook her head.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha but I don't think that anything would have worked." She said quietly as she clutched her books. "I just don't do the friend thing."

"You don't do the friend thing _now._" He said with a strange smile. "But later in life, trust me, you're gonna want friends." He backed her up against a locker. But not in an aggressive way. He seemed like he wanted her to get something. "Kagome, now is your time to figure out how to be a friend. How to 'do the friend thing,' because," He backed away slightly, shaking his head. "When that time comes that you _want_ friends, well, you may not know how to do it." Kagome laughed.

"Save your breath Inuyasha. I will never want friends." She said, starting to walk away.

"Yeah ya will!" He said, practically jogging beside her. "It's not healthy to be so closed up, okay?"

"I'll see you around." Kagome said, walking into her first class. Inuyasha looked at his surroundings and sighed.

"I'm on the other side of the God damn building!" He yelled and Kagome snickered from her seat. He looked into the classroom and blushed.

"Stop talking to yourself man, it's weird!" Kagome said in a voice that she tried to disguise as not hers. Her classmates laughed and Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Nice seeing you all!" He said cheerfully, though he continued to blush. "Bye now." Then he walked away as fast as he could, muttering to himself.

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked Inuyasha. They were all sitting in the front of the school eating lunch. "I thought you said that she was going to eat with us today."

"Yeah, I know what I said." Inuyasha said with an angry sigh.

"Hey, wasn't avoiding her supposed to make her want to become our friend?" Miroku asked with a snicker as he ate some of his sandwich.

"Yeah." Inuyasha said.

"So, why isn't she here right now?" Kagura asked quietly.

"I don't know!" He fumed. "Jeez, I don't know. I talked to her this morning and she seemed upset to see me."

"Oooh, big surprise." Kouga said with a laugh.

"Please stop speaking." Inuyasha said, touching his temples. "Your voice, it cuts like a knife."

"Actually, my voice is pretty low." Kouga said with confusion.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha said in an angry whisper.

"What are you guys doing out here?" They all turned to find Kagome.

"Kags, we've been eating here this whole week. That's why you didn't see me at lunch." Sango told her with a smile. That was when they noticed that Kagome was crying.

"Kagome, you okay?" Kagura asked and Kagome laughed as she wiped away at her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Inuyasha asked softly and Kagome sat down on one of the steps that led to the front door of the school building.

"Nothing." She told him softly, hugging her knees and placing her chin on them.

"Tell the truth." Inuyasha said, looking her in the eyes and Kagome laughed.

"I am, it's truly nothing. I come out here when I'm not feeling too hot and I usually cry." She said with shrug. "It's just something I do, I guess."

"Well, tell us what's going on." Sango said, sitting down beside her.

"I can't." She whispered.

"Why can't you?" Sango asked, kneeling in front of her, forcing her to look at her. "Come on Kagome, tell us what's wrong."

"No!" Kagome said angrily, getting up. "Leave me alone, okay?" She said softly then she went back into the building.

"Kagome!" Sango called after her.

"Forget her, if she needs someone to talk to we're here and she knows that." Kouga said roughly. "She just..." He stopped and they all looked at him.

"What, Kouga?" Inuyasha asked him and Kouga shrugged.

"She just doesn't want to talk." He said and Sango rolled her eyes.

"That's clear, idiot." Kagura said, smacking him lightly on the head.

"Ouch." He said in a monotone voice. They all just sat there, staring at one another while Kouga rubbed his head which hadn't been all that hurt to begin with.

"How can someone just not want to talk to people?" Inuyasha asked with frustration in his voice. "I mean, so what, your life sucks." He said with a shrug, getting up from his seat. "Big deal, everybody's life sucks."

"True," Sango said, frowning. "I have a pretty sucky life, what makes her so special?" Miroku rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't pity herself." He said and they all looked at him. "That's why we have friends right?" He asked.

"What the fuck are you getting at? Man, you're crazy." Inuyasha said, shaking his head and Miroku laughed.

"Seriously, we have friends so that we can tell them our problems and they can feel bad for us. Then we're there for them when they have a problem."

"Miroku, you're making sense." Sango said with wide, sarcastic eyes.

"Ha, ha very funny." He said walking over to her and pinching her left cheek. "You're just too cute." He said, getting in her face.

"Hey, back off." She said to him and Inuyasha laughed.

"Miroku, I get what you're saying." Inuyasha said, getting back to what Miroku had been saying before. "But that's not the only reason we have friends." He looked around at all of them and sighed. "I don't want you to think you're worthless and I just tell you my problems and you tell me yours; that's not how things work in life."

"Yeah, we still have good times together." Kagura said. "And sometimes we just like each other's company."

"And Kagome's missing out on those good times." Sango said.

"Exactly." Inuyasha said.

"Since when were you so smart?" Kouga asked Inuyasha and he shrugged.

"I'm not smart." He said simply. "I'm just a people person." He said in a slightly sarcastic tone and everyone laughed.

"Really?" Kagura asked. "Cause last time I checked, you were an ass." She smirked.

"Well, ever since this Kagome thing I've been different." He said distantly and they all silently agreed. "But," He smirked. "I'm still an ass, don't worry."

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

At the end of the day, Kagome was very happy that school was finally out for the weekend. All she had was one more week and she was free. She hadn't expected to get so upset at lunch and she _really_ hadn't expected to find Inuyasha and the others out front. She'd truly been shocked to find them there. And the fact that she'd been crying killed her.

As Kagome walked home, she'd figured that her mom would forget about her again, she felt like crying once more. Whenever Kagome got in a crying mood she thought about things that made her really angry or sad. The world and how messed up it was, her day, school, her insane family, whatever. She usually sobbed as she walked home. Either that or she went to the nearest park, sat down on a bench, and let the everlasting flow of her tears glide silently down her pale cheeks.

That day she held it all in. And she held it in because she knew there was always the chance that someone might see her. She was just about to leave the school grounds when someone tapped her on the back. She turned around, holding in her annoyed sigh.

"Hey Kagome," Kagome smiled at the person who'd said hello to her and she was astonished to find Kagura.

"Hey." Kagome said distantly and Kagura laughed.

"Trust me, no offense of course, but I wasn't looking for you." She said and Kagome's smile widened. "I just bumped into you, that's all."

"Yeah." Kagome said, beginning to walk once more. "How was your lunch after I interrupted it?" Kagome said, trying to start a conversation.

"All we did was talk about you." She said bluntly and Kagome stopped mid-step to process what she'd said.

"Really?" Kagome asked, still not walking. Kagura turned around to face her, smiling slightly.

"Sort of." She said with a shrug. "I'm not good at lying so I just went with the truth."

"Well," Kagome began, "It's good that you're honest."

"You mean it's good that I'm bad at lying." Kagura said with a grin.

"They mean the same thing." Kagome said, her lips twitching. She wasn't going to let herself in on the joke. So, she was trying her best to not smile even though she already had.

"Sure, sure." Kagura said, walking again.

"Wait," Kagome said and Kagura turned to her.

"Hm?"

"Why are you walking?" She asked and Kagura shrugged. "Why isn't Inuyasha or one of the others giving you a ride?" Kagura smiled.

"I love how you just put that." Kagura said, looking up at the sun that was high in the sky. "'Inuyasha or one of the others.' Nice." Kagura said seriously and Kagome cocked her head to one side.

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely and Kagura laughed.

"No, it's okay. He is sort of the 'leader' of our group of friends." She said.

"I didn't know that he was capable of that role." Kagome said with sarcasm and Kagura laughed.

"It's more just like the guys control everything." She said.

"Wow," Kagome stated and Kagura looked over at her as they walked. "I don't know if I'd like that." Kagura shook her head.

"No, now that I think of it, it's more like Sango and I let them _think_ they have control." She said and Kagome let herself smile.

"Good." She said and Kagura laughed.

"Well, I'm headed this way. See ya later Kagome." Then she was gone and Kagome was alone once more. But, she wasn't as sad as she was earlier.

"Hey, Kagome!" She turned around with a small smile. Sango was jogging over to her and Kagome had allowed it.

"Hi Sango." She said quietly and Sango grinned.

"You hanging out with us later?" She asked and Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment then answered.

"Sure." She said. Sango looked at her with a raised brow.

"Really?" She asked. "Or are you just saying that."

"Well, it could be both. I don't really know what you're all doing tonight so I could be just saying it." She said.

"We're all going over to Miroku's then maybe seeing a movie that looked really awful."

"As in, bad?" Kagome asked and Sango nodded her head.

"Yep."

"May I ask why?" Sango laughed.

"Sure, ask away."

"Why?"

"Well, there's always the kind of movie that everyone sees and so we wanna be in on the joke. Ya know, we want to know how sucky it really is and be able to laugh about it too."

"Riiight." Kagome said with some understanding.

"So, you gonna come?" She asked and Kagome frowned.

"Sango, I don't know..." She said with uncertainty. "You're all very nice and I think it might be good for me to get out... but..."

"But what?" Sango asked with her own frown. "Listen Kagome," Sango took out a paper, wrote her home number and cell phone number on it. "Call me if you want to come along. We won't be going till later so, yeah, call me." They both turned their heads towards a beeping car. "Miroku?" Sango questioned quietly. "Hey!" Sango said, walking over to him as he pulled over next to the sidewalk.

"Hey," He said, smiling slightly. He looked over at Kagome. "Hey!" Kagome just nodded her head at him.

"I thought that your car was getting worked on." Sango said to him.

"Yeah, it was. But now it's fixed. Need a ride?"

"How much did it cost? It must've cost a fortune!" Sango said with a bit a shock and Miroku grunted.

"It doesn't matter! It's fixed. Do. You. Need. A. Ride?" He asked her once more as if she was stupid and Sango rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, of course I do. But, how do I know that your car is safe?"

"It just is!" He fumed in an exasperated tone and Sango smirked slightly.

"Just wanted to get you riled up," Sango said, making her way over to the door.

"Kagome, you need a ride?" Miroku asked her and Kagome shook her head.

"I can walk, thanks though." She said, and then she turned around and headed home.

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

Once Kagome got home, she sighed with relief. The walk had been longer than she'd expected and the ride might've been nice. That had only made her even more upset on the way home. She was angry at herself for turning Miroku's offer down.

"Kagome!" Someone called her from the living room.

"Nana?" She questioned as she walked into the room.

"Mhmm." She leaned against the wall.

"Mom?" She asked, her eyes widening at the sight of her sober mother. "Where's Souta and dad?"

"Souta's taking a nap and your father's been out for a while now." Sherry said, absentmindedly.

"Oh?" Kagome sat down on the couch. "Where's he gone to?"

"I have no idea." Sherry said with a shrug. That was when Kagome noticed that they were watching something on the television.

"What's on?" She asked, sitting between them.

"Nothing really." Hikari answered her and Kagome smiled.

"That sounds _so_ interesting."

"Mm,"

"Hey, ma, did you know that Souta can tie his shoes?" Sherry asked, slowly taking her eyes away from the television to look at her mother.

"Yep, I taught him." Hikari said, taking a sip of the ice tea she had in front of her.

"Really?" Sherry asked, "Cool." Kagome laughed.

"So Nana, whatcha doing here?" Hikari raised her right brow and Kagome laughed softly. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you."

"I was bored." She shrugged. "And my television wasn't working."

"Oooh, that explains it." Kagome said with a smile and Hikari laughed.

"Yes, I thought it would."

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Sherry asked Kagome. "It's Friday, isn't it?"

"Yeah, so?" Kagome asked with a slight tone. "Do I _have_ to go out?"

"It would be nice." Sherry said back and Kagome frowned.

"Well... some people asked me to hang out later." Kagome sat down next to her grandmother and sighed. "But I don't really like to do that." She said more to Hikari than Sherry.

"Aw, hon," Hikari pushed some hair out of Kagome's face. "Try it." She said simply and Kagome laughed coldly.

"Already did." She said, crossing her arms across her chest. "And then, when they didn't talk to me for the whole week, they thought it was odd that I don't want to really talk to them."

"So, you're upset then?" Sherry asked hopefully. "And you _want_ friends?"

"Mom, please stop speaking." Kagome said and they all stared at one another for a moment. Then they broke out with laughter.

"No, I won't." Sherry said, crossing her arms with false anger. After a few moments went by, Sherry looked at her daughter and smiled. "Kid, I want you to do what you want. But don't miss out on things, okay?" Kagome sighed.

"Okay mom, I'll call Sango." Kagome said with a small smile. When Kagome left the room to call her newest 'friend,' Hikari and Sherry looked at one another with puzzled looks.

"Who the hell is Sango?" Hikari asked quietly and Sherry shook her head.

"I want to know what the hell a 'Sango' is." Sherry replied and Hikari laughed.

"That was sarcasm, right?" She asked her daughter, slightly concerned.

"I don't know, was it?" Then she laughed and pat her mother on the back. "I'm just kidding." Hikari sighed with relief. "I know exactly what a Sango is." Hikari's eye twitched.

"Right then, let's get back to watching the TV. It's easier to process."

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long, I had/have strep throat so it's been taking me a while. Anyway, tell me what you though it your reviews! Sorry it ended so strangely, I'll get a new one up soon.

ALSO - I'll fix all the grammar mistakes when I get home from school tomorrow. Niiight!


	9. Outside In the Rain

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

A/N: Hey, how's it going? Anyway, sorry for taking so long to update this one. Writer's block is taking place _a lot_ these days lol... Well, hope you like it! Now, read and enjoy.

* * *

Kagome took in a deep breath and picked up the phone.

"Wait, what am I doing? Souta." Kagome went back out into the living room and sat down on the couch beside Hikari.

"So, did you call your friend?" Sherry asked.

"Nope, I have to watch Souta tonight." Kagome said with a slight sound of relief in her voice.

"No you don't." Hikari said. She smiled at Kagome and tapped her nose, "Your mother and _I_ can watch him." Kagome knew she just meant that she would.

"Okay, thanks... but really, it's okay. I can do it." Kagome said as if it was a tough decision to make.

"Kagome, you're doing something tonight or you're grounded." Sherry said, getting up and going into the kitchen. Obviously to get a beer.

"Fine _mom,_ ground me!" Kagome yelled at her, angry. Sherry came back with a drink, cap already off, and sat down next to her daughter.

"No, I'm forcing you to go." Sherry said with a smile. "Please hon, go have fun... or go and be miserable." Sherry laughed and looked at Kagome with sympathy. "Just do _something,_ please!" Kagome ran into the kitchen and sat down on one of their swiveling chairs, phone in hand. With each number that she dialed she got angrier and angrier. But, she also felt the heat of nervousness creeping up her back and stinging her cheeks.

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

The sound of Sango's cell phone ring tone rang out through the small room. Everyone stopped laughing and everyone stopped talking. All they could do was stare at her phone which was slowly moving off the table because she had it set on vibrate.

"Uh, anyone gonna get that?" Kouga asked, breaking the silence. Sango laughed and grabbed for the phone but it suddenly stopped ringing.

"Okaaay, that was freaky." Kagura said, grabbing onto Sesshomaru's shirt.

"Maybe it's Inuyasha, playing a trick on us." Miroku said with a gulp. "He's not **here** yet." His voice had raised because someone was knocking on Miroku's front door. They were all settled in his living room and his parents were out. It was also getting very cloudy out and they'd heard thunder in the distance. That just added to the creepy mood that had suddenly captured them all in its grasp.

"Wh-who is it?" Sango asked cheerfully and a growl came in return.

"It's me you idiot!" Inuyasha fumed, banging on the door. "Now let me in! It's starting to rain." Sesshomaru walked over to the door to open it for his younger, half-brother. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, slightly stunned.

"Kagura asked me to come." Sesshomaru said calmly with a shrug. "So, I did."

"Oh," Inuyasha walked into the house with a sigh. "Hey, Kagura?" Kagura looked at him with a questioning look.

"Hn?"

"Next time, ignore that fact you're completely in love with my brother and DON'T INVITE HIM!" He screamed and everyone shook at the loudness of his voice. Suddenly, the sound of the pouring rain was heard on the roof.

"I'm not in love with _him..._" Kagura said quietly, watching a fuming Inuyasha continue to rant. Suddenly, Sango's phone was ringing once more.

"Oh Jesus," Sango groaned, picking the phone up with hesitance and annoyance. "H-hello?" She asked.

"Hey," Kagome said quietly.

"OH!" Sango said, smiling. "We didn't know who was calling me and it was a little freaky." She said with a laugh. She covered the piece that she spoke into and told the others who it was. "It's Kagome!" She said in an excited whisper. "So, you coming down to Miroku's?" She asked and Kagome replied with a yes.

"That's only if I can though." She said hurriedly and Sango chuckled.

"Of course you can, stupid." Sango joked and Kagome laughed quietly.

"Okay, so where does Miroku live?" Kagome asked and Sango gave her the directions to his house.

"...And bring some money; we may go out to eat or see a movie." Sango told her. Kagome nodded her head, forgetting she was on the phone. "You still there?"

"Mhmm." Kagome said, coming out of her funk. "Well, see you soon." Kagome said, sighing heavily and Sango raised a brow.

"Okay, see you!" Sango said happily. She was obviously trying to brighten Kagome's spirits because she wasn't always that hyper.

"Yup." Then Sango heard a click and Kagome was gone.

"She's coming over." Sango said to the others.

"She is?" Inuyasha asked with slight shock. Sango nodded her head.

"Yep."

"Well..." Inuyasha was quiet for a moment and all eyes were on him. "Good." He said with a firm nod of his head. "Knew she'd come around."

"No." Kouga said bluntly and they all looked at him. "What? It's true!"

"What's true?" Kagura asked with a raised brow and amused grin.

"He didn't know she'd come around." He said with a small smirk. "Bet you he even gave up on her."

"Hey, I did not!" Inuyasha retorted and Kouga snickered quietly. Then, there was a knock at the door.

"Is that Kagome?" Sango wondered out loud. "Wow, that was fast."

"I was driving here on the phone!" Kagome said through the door. They could see the slight image of Kagome through the soft tinted glass that had multiple flower designs on it.

"Really?" Sango asked, opening the door.

"No, not really." Kagome said with a straight face and Sango cocked her head to one side, looking like a lost puppy. "No one ever catches my sarcasm!" Kagome hadn't been lying. She'd called three times and when she finally spoke to Sango she was already driving around. Kagura laughed and smiled at Kagome.

"Well, we're glad that you came." She said and Kagome sighed quietly.

"Sure, me too." Kagome said.

"Now_ that_ was sarcasm." Kouga said with a laugh and Kagome smiled.

"You noticed." Kagome said, still smiling at him and he nodded his head.

"Yep, I'm just that good." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him Kagome, you'll get used to his asholeness." He said with an angry tone.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked him. "That was assholeness? I thought it was more like two people having a very sarcastic conversation."

"I guess that's what you live off of," Inuyasha said, still pretty angry. "Sarcasm."

"Mhmm, I freaking love it." Kagome said, her eyes wide as she smiled wickedly.

"Ha, ha, ha." Inuyasha said, turning away from her.

"Now, if that wasn't sarcasm then I don't know what is." Sango said, shaking her head. "Come on, stop with the bitterness. Let's just pick a movie to see."

"Nothing gory, please." Kagura said, sitting down beside Miroku who was looking in the newspaper for movie times.

"Maybe we could just skip the freaking movies!" Kouga said in an exasperated tone, throwing himself on to the loveseat. "I mean it, maybe we should just hang out here. Miroku's parents are out so we won't be loud." He shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just sick of the freaking movies." Inuyasha laughed randomly and Kouga glared at him as did everyone else.

"What?" He asked, getting a hold of himself. "He said 'the freaking movies' two times... I guess that's just what we'll be calling them from now on." He said for an explanation and Kagome held back her laugh.

"You're..." They looked at her, their heads turning quickly. "Weird." She said, sitting politely beside the sprawled out Kouga. She hoped attention would be off her soon.

About ten minutes went by and they still hadn't chosen a movie to see and there was also the matter of what time it would be at. "Well, this is quite fun. You sure made me rethink the friend thing." Kagome got up and headed to the door. She was only planning on sitting on the porch, the rain had sounded lighter.

"Fine, leave then." Inuyasha said. "No one really cares you know. No one gives a damn."

"_Really?_" Kagome turned around sharply. Why was he being so mean? "Okay, if _you_ don't care about _me_ then I'm just gonna go." Kagome said, shaking her head. She stopped halfway out the door. "I'm really sorry you guys... I just can't seem to..."

"Kagome, it's okay. Just come back inside." Sango said, getting up from her seat and walking over to Kagome. Sango touched her elbow gently and tugged on her shirt. "Come back inside." She repeated.

"No," Kagome said as she stared up at the sky. It was suddenly pouring again and she loved to drive in that type of weather. But, then again, it was going to be raining all next week, too.

"Go Kagome." Kagura said quietly. "If you don't want to stay, I mean."

"Kagome, I'm sorry." Inuyasha said to her. Kagura looked at the ground, her bangs hiding her sad eyes. Sango sat back down and Kagome shivered slightly as a chilling wind hit her face. Suddenly, arms were around her waist and she was being pushed out into the rain. She heard the door shut behind her but didn't know who was holding her. She turned around and found herself face to face with Inuyasha. "We have to talk." He said and she could barely hear him because of the water that was falling from the sky. She just nodded her head and led him to her car.

"Talk." Kagome said once they were both in the car. She was facing the window and watching the rain rolling off the glass. Inuyasha sighed.

"You talk." He said finally and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You're the one who wanted to talk so _you_ have to talk. I don't really have _anything_ to do with this." She turned and looked at him, her dark blue eyes filled with anger. "Why do you have to do this?" She asked him weakly.

"Do what?" He questioned with some shock.

"Why do you have to make me want this?"

"I'm not doing that!" He yelled at her and Kagome rolled her eyes again, laughing in a slightly crazed way.

"You're no good for me Inuyasha.. No good at all." Kagome said and Inuyasha took her hand in his but she pulled away immediately. "I can't feel this way about people! I can't have friends..." She looked into his beautiful amber eyes and almost lost herself. Then she shook her head and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I can't have you." She whispered softly but Inuyasha hadn't heard her.

"And why can't you! Why can't you have friends?" He asked her, daring Kagome to look at him. "Please, tell me why and maybe I'll understand."

"Friends just hurt you!" Kagome yelled.

"And how would you know that?" Inuyasha asked. "Have you ever had a friend in your entire life?"

"No." Kagome said, crossing her arms. "But I've seen it. And I already have too much shit in my life that I have to deal with! I don't need friends."

"Kagome, everyone has problems. You just have a really strange way of dealing with yours."

"Now you're calling me strange." Kagome said and Inuyasha growled.

"I am not!" He fumed. "I'm calling your _actions_ strange."

"Which is basically calling me strange, admit it."

"Fine!" He yelled, his hands up in surrender. "You're strange Kagome Higurashi..." He looked into her eyes, trying to get his message across. "But that's what was so interesting about you."

"Me being strange made you want to be my friend?" Kagome asked, not buying it.

"No, made me want to see what was really going on in your head." He said simply and Kagome faced the window once more. For a while the only sound they heard was the rain pounding down onto the roof of the car. "Kagome, just hang out with us. It's all the we ask."

"I already did that!"

"You know what I mean, Kagome!"

"Inuyasha, I want to but I can't! I sound like a broken record but I'm serious." She said sadly, her throat aching.

"Kagome, let yourself feel something other than pain for once!" Inuyasha whispered fiercely into her ear, his lips almost touching her skin and his breath warm. Kagome turned her head slightly to let him see the tears that were falling from her eyes. "Please stop crying." Inuyasha said softly, almost kissing her neck for some reason but telling himself to leave her alone. Then he left her car and headed in.

"Oh God, what am I going to do!" Kagome asked out loud, banging her head against the steering wheel. "Why am I doing this to myself?" She asked and that happy yet depressed feeling swept over her as she stared up at the sky, lightning flashing in the distance. The sound of thunder came 3 seconds after it and Kagome shivered violently. "Why can't I just live happily by myself? I really don't see the problem in that." Kagome took her keys out of her pocket. She stared at them and wondered what might happen if she just drove away.

- & - & - & - & - & - & -

"What, did she leave?" Sango asked the soaking wet Inuyasha as he walked into the house.

"I don't know." Inuyasha shrugged, walking over to Sango and wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm tired." He breathed out, shutting his eyes. Sango laughed in a sisterly way and rubbed his arms sympathetically.

"I know." They heard someone walking up the stairs to the front door and looked out the window. Kagome was sitting on the top step, her white t-shirt soaked through and her blue jeans clinging to her legs. She was clearly shivering but she didn't seem to mind.

"Oh boy," Miroku said with a sigh. "She's going to get sick." He said as Kagome lied down, her eyes shut. "Someone," He looked at Inuyasha who was staring out at Kagome with worry, "Should go out and bring her inside."

"Fine, hurry up and go get her." Inuyasha said to Miroku and Miroku rolled his eyes.

"I'll be right back." Miroku memorized the page number that he was looking at then left the house. "Get inside, you'll die of hypothermia!" He fumed and Kagome's eyes fluttered open.

"I don't care." Kagome said quietly and Miroku's eyes widened.

"So what, now you're suicidal? Sit up at least!" Miroku yelled at her. The rain had already soaked his clothes through and he was shivering. He sat down beside her, hugging his legs to himself for some warmth. "Kagome stop it, we don't need this." He said roughly and Kagome looked at him, letting the rain hit her in the eyes, she didn't feel it.

"Leave me alone." She told him. She couldn't tell if she was crying but it sort of felt that way in her throat. "You don't care about me."

"My God, you're such a God damn baby!" He screamed at the sky and Kagome frowned. "You're practically begging me to care about you."

"No I'm not!" Kagome said angrily, sitting up and blinking violently. "I'm telling you to go away."

"Oh yeah, you're really telling me to go away by laying down on _my_ stairs in the rain. That just _screams_ 'go away!' Nice, Kagome, real nice."

"Hey, stop being so rude! Maybe I was going to eventually come in." Kagome said, crossing her arms. "I just needed to think some things through, that's all."

"Then think when you get inside! Do you _want_ to get a cold?" Miroku asked, shivering like crazy.

"No, I hate getting sick." Kagome said as she stiffly stood up. "Come on, get up." Miroku looked at her incredulously.

"You're kidding right?" He asked her as he got up.

"No, why would I be kidding about you getting up. You're freezing to death and I don't want anyone angry at me because you died and it was my fault." Kagome said, putting out a hand to help him up. Miroku thought about reverse psychology for a moment then shook his head.

"Thanks." Miroku grunted, wiping his pants off. He didn't seem to notice that it was completely pointless to do so.

"Hmm, think Inuyasha hates me for this?"

"Nah," Miroku said with a shrug. "Do _you_ hate yourself for this?" Kagome stopped moments before she was in the house and Miroku walked in, leaving the door open for her.

"Do I?" Kagome asked herself quietly. Then she walked into the house, hoping desperately that she could find the strength that was inside her to let one of them in. To find family and love in the strangest of places.

* * *

A/N: Ello govnah! How was it? Is it getting annoying? Lol like am I doing things over and over again... Hope so, that's kind of what ppl told me to do. Not saying any names but, (Idk the names lmao) they said that my last story, like this one, went too fast. Kagome let ppl into her life waaay too soon. So, this is for you mean ppl, this is for you.


	10. Laughter

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha and I never will. Oh well. : )

* * *

A/N: Once again, I'm sorry for the wait. I think the writer's block is going away. Lately I've been doing things lol. Like going out and having a life. It's helping with my writing but it's also keeping me away from it. But, don't worry, I'll never stop writing lol it just might take me a little longer to update.

* * *

Kagome shivered and Sango wrapped a towel around her upper body.

"Thanks." Kagome chattered out and Sango laughed.

"No problem." Kagura tossed Miroku a towel and he thanked her then scoffed at Sango.

"You wrap her up into a nice little cocoon and leave me to fend for myself! Nice Sango, real nice." He bit out, something like deja vu coming over him, and Sango walked over to him.

"Miroku, stop whining. You weren't out there as long as she was." She told him and he rolled his eyes as he shivered. "Plus, she's no pervert." Sango pushed him down and onto the couch.

"Ah!" Miroku yelled, getting up. "I can't get the couch wet! If you haven't noticed, my parents like a clean house."

"It's just a little water," Sango shrugged, walking over to Kagome who was sitting on a chair that Inuyasha had brought out from the kitchen. "How ya doing?"

"I'm fine now, thanks." Kagome said to her softly and Sango nodded her head.

"No problem." She said, glaring at Miroku. Kagome caught her staring at the boy and frowned.

"What's wrong?" She asked and Sango shook her head and looked up at her.

"Nothing really." Kagome watched Sango as she looked over at Miroku once more. Kagome saw something flash in Sango's eyes and she wondered what it was. "He's just so..." Sango was frustrated because she couldn't find a word for what Miroku was in particular.

"So rude?" Kagome asked in annoyance and Sango laughed out loud. Everyone had been talking amongst themselves so they hadn't heard Kagome and Sango's conversation.

"Yeah," Sango sighed, smiling. Then she frowned and looked at Kagome. "Actually no." Sango said, surprise evident in her voice. "He's very kind. He's also patient and warm and sweet." Sango smiled, looking off into the distance.

"Why thank you, dear Sango, I'm glad you think that." Miroku said from across the medium-sized room. When she laughed, Sango hadn't realized how quiet the room had gotten.

She gave him her best death glare, threw a pillow at him, and cried "Shut up, idiot! What makes you think I'm talking about _you?_" Then all was back to normal and everyone was having their own conversations again.

"So," Kagome said, trying to start their conversation once more.

"Oh!" Sango smiled, her anger melting away. "Kagome," She shifted her body so that she was entirely facing Kagome. "He isn't usually like that, trust me. He just knew he was fighting someone else's battle at that moment and so he got angry. I mean, wouldn't you feel the same way if you were him?"

"I'm going to get changed out of these wet clothes." Miroku said suddenly, laughing about something Kouga had said. "Kagome, come with me." He was telling her and he wasn't suggesting the idea or asking her if she wanted to change. No, he was telling her to go with him.

"Fine." She bit out. She was still slightly angry at him about how rude he'd been. She followed Miroku up the stairs to his bedroom. He opened a door that led into his room and Kagome looked around. It was a simple room for someone like Miroku. His walls were a slightly dark, sky blue and his bed was a nice size. Kagome smiled inwardly when she saw that his bed was made. For some reason she hadn't expected it to be.

"Here," Miroku threw her a white t-shirt and jeans. "Oh." He said suddenly and Kagome cocked a brow.

"What?"

"You're smaller than me."

"So?"

"Those clothes," He said, pointing at the items she held. "Might not.. no they _definitely_ won't fit you. Let me get you something else." He left his room for two minutes then came back with new clothes. "Here you go." Kagome smiled when she noticed they were smaller.

"Did you go through a random growth spurt or something?" She asked and Miroku sighed.

"Yeah, 9th grade." Kagome laughed.

"These are your clothes from 9th grade?" She asked him.

"Yep." He said with another, slightly upset, sigh.

"Well, don't feel bad," She said in a sympathetic tone. "At least you grew." She smiled at him then headed into his bathroom to get changed.

"Heh, easy for you to say. Boy, was I teased back then. Everyone, including the few downstairs, made fun of me. Now I'm taller then all of them. Eh, cept Sesshomaru. And Inuyasha and I are the same height... and..." Kagome came out of the bathroom, smiling like crazy.

"I get it!" She said, meaning shut up.

"Hey, they _do_ fit!" He said. He was already changed. Miroku had on what Kagome was going to wear.

"Yeah," She said, still smiling. Kagome had disposed of all her wet clothes. So that meant she wasn't wearing a bra or underwear. She felt her stomach turn. Maybe staying wet would've been better. Miroku saw the worried look on her face and knew what she was thinking about.

"Sorry I don't have any undergarments," He smirked in a joking manner to lighten the mood, "That I could give you." He said. "I can throw your wet ones into the dryer with everything else though."

"Uhh, sure." Kagome said. "Um," Kagome bit her lip and leaned slightly in thought. The t-shirt was still slightly big on her, for that she was thankful. But the pants fit her like a glove and were only loose at the bottom. "I think I'll throw them in. But only if that's okay." She said and Miroku nodded his head.

"Sure, that's fine. It's down there." He pointed down the hall. "You'll see it. Take mine too." He gave her his clothes and Kagome gave him a quick smile then scurried out of the room.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"Now, where is this dryer?" Kagome asked herself as she walked down the hall Miroku had directed her to go down. She quickly found it and headed downstairs once she put them into dry.

"Hey Kagome," Kagura said. They were all just sitting and talking. To Kagome, all of it seemed kind of boring.

"Hi." She said and once she was at the bottom of the stairs she walked over to where she was sitting before. She noticed a change in the room. Everyone had moved closer to one another and it was cozier and she was sitting away from them. She smiled to herself because for some reason she didn't like being left out. 'No harm in getting up to sit closer.' She thought to herself with a shrug. Then she walked over to Inuyasha and sat down beside him because he was the one who was furthest out of the group.

"Hello," He said pleasantly and she laughed quietly.

"Hi." She said and he nudged her with a smile and he got another laugh out of her. Then, they both directed their attention to the conversation that was going on.

"I'm telling you, she ate that gummy bear and then it came out her nose." Kouga said seriously as he laughed. Kagome noticed that Sango was blushing with embarrassment.

"No," Miroku shook his head, staring at Kouga for a moment. Then he laughed and shook his head again, "I wish I saw it."

"What the hell made it come out her nose?" Kagura asked and Kouga looked at her, tears flowing down his eyes because he was laughing so hard.

"Sango," He breathed, "What made it come out of your nose?"

"Well," Sango said quietly, containing her laugh and looking at Kouga. "I was just eating some gummy bears and then I walked over near that coffee table," She pointed over at said table, "And I stubbed my toe!" Everyone burst out laughing and Kagome tried to figure out what was so funny. She imagined that it would be quite awful and strange to have something like a gummy bear come out of her nose. "And I, like, gasped and then.. and then..." She covered her face with her hands in humiliation and another round of laughter rang out through the room.

"Oh, dude, that reminds me of that time spaghetti, came out of your nose!" Inuyasha said, pointing at Miroku. Miroku blushed as he remembered the time as if it were yesterday.

"Not like you were there!" Miroku said with anger.

"Oooh, do tell us about the time spaghetti came out your nose." Sango said, getting excited because the attention was off of her.

"I was on this date..." Miroku began and Kagome tried to seem interested. She'd seen things like groups of friends talking together outside or in movies but she'd never been a part of it and so she didn't know how to act or what she was supposed to be feeling. "And I had ordered the spaghetti special."

"No shit," Kouga said with a snicker and everyone glared at him. Kagome copied this. "Uh, sorry, my bad." He cleared his throat. "Continue Miroku." He said politely.

Miroku continued to glare at Kouga as he said, "As I was saying," then he turned his gaze back to the others. "I ordered the spaghetti special and the girl I was on a date with was fucking hottt! But, she was beyond boring. So, I was trying to come up with ideas on how to liven up the date." Sango laughed.

"You, livening up a date?" She said, continuing to laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry," She said with sarcasm as Miroku glared at her. "Please, go on."

"I'm glad I have your permission." He fumed.

"Oh boy," Inuyasha groaned. "Would you two stop fighting? He's just telling a story. Jeez, cut Miroku some slack... and Miroku," Miroku glared at him.

"Yeah?" He bit out.

"Just chill." He said simply. All was quiet for a minute and then Kagome sighed.

"What happened next?" She asked, nearly emotionless and everyone snickered quietly.

"Well," Miroku began once he'd recovered, "She said something that was definitely not funny but at the time, to me, it was hilarious and I'd just been eating some spaghetti... I was really slurping it down and it was a pretty long piece." Here, people began to laugh. "And once she said what she had it just sent me over and I snorted and then the spaghetti started to come out my nose and then that made me laugh even more!" Everyone was practically dying of laughter and then Sango looked at Kagome and Kagome looked at Sango and suddenly Kagome was laughing too.

"I didn't know that laughter was contagious!" Kagome said with a giggle.

"Hell yeah," Inuyasha smirked, "I'm telling you, no matter how hard you try, when the people you're around are laughing, you laugh too."

"Good," Kagome said, still smiling softly. "That's how laughing should be. Laughter should something shared." Kagome said with a nod of her head. She looked at the people around her and smiled. "I should get going."

"Do you _want_ to go?" Inuyasha asked her. She looked into his eyes, continuing to smile.

"No," She said. "But I think I've overstayed my welcome." She said, getting up.

"Kagome, why would you think that?" Kouga asked her and she turned to him.

"It's been an hour?" She asked. "I would assume that you're all going home too." She said with a shrug.

"That must be because you're stupid." Kouga said thoughtfully but jokingly, too. "Because none of us are going home right now." He smiled at her and Kagome put her head to one side.

"And why not?"

"Because that's not really 'hanging out.' I mean, we usually spend the day together and then we hang out well into the night." Sango told her and Kagome smiled.

"Well, in that case, I guess I'll be staying." Then she sat back down and everyone began to relax around her. She wasn't someone they needed to put a show on for anymore, she was finally their acquaintance. "Is it okay if I stay?" They all groaned at the question and Miroku shook his head with a smile.

Then he said, "Si." After a moment of comfortable silence, Miroku finally said something. "I'm failing Spanish." They all laughed and Kagome grimaced. She hated Spanish.

"Me too!" Sango said with anger. "But it's only because I have a retarded teacher."

"I know!" Miroku said, standing up and waving his arms around as he talked. "I fucking hate Mrs. Lega."

"It's more like Mrs. Gagya." Kouga snorted. "She sucks!"

"Guys, you can't blame your teacher for bad grades." Kagura said.

"Easy for you to say," Inuyasha said with an angry smirk. "You don't have the bitch." He said.

"And you do?" She asked, knowing that he didn't.

"No," He said, "But I did have her my first year and she was awful."

"Yeah, but still!" Kagura said and they all rolled their eyes.

"We're going to blame her so you might as well just let us." Sango said with a smile. Kagura crossed her arms with a pout and shook her head.

"I was just saying that-"

"Kagura!" Everyone fumed jokingly and she laughed then dropped the subject.

"There was this time when I was, like, five, right?" Sango said, looking at them. "And I was in the car with my mom."

"Boy, was that story interesting." Inuyasha said with sarcasm and she shot him a look.

"That wasn't the whole story!" She said and Kagome laughed quietly to herself.

"Okay, then finish it." He said and she did.

"So, I was in the car with my mom and we came to a red light." She said, smiling. "Then I looked at the guy beside me in his car. He looked like a businessman, you know? Suit and tie; the works." She went out to the kitchen then came back with a water bottle. She took a sip then continued, "And so, he was just sitting there and I was looking at him. He kinda glanced around. Then, right before my little five-year-old eyes," She paused and took a dramatic breath, "He picked his nose." She sat there for a second, waiting for it to sink in. Then, she started to roll around, laughing. Everyone looked at her like she was crazy.

"You built that story up waaay too much." Kouga said, snickering softly.

"But, it's not over!" She said, recovering and grinning wildly. "So, after he picked his nose, he looked directly at me. Then, I took my finger and pretended to pick _my_ nose! He laughed a little and mouthed, 'You caught me!' with a shrug." This, was when everyone began to laugh.

"Oh man," Inuyasha sighed, continuing to laugh quietly. "That guy must've been wicked embarrassed."

"He was!" Sango said. "When the light turned green, he waved with a smile then took off."

"That doesn't mean he was embarrassed." Miroku said.

"Yeah, well I opened my window and stuck my head out slightly and saw that he was shaking his head and pouting. He was definitely embarrassed." She laughed with a snort.

"One time in preschool, I pissed myself." Miroku said with a sigh. Kagome joined in on the laughing that time.

"Random much?" Sesshomaru said calmly. They all looked at him. He hadn't really talked the entire time he was there. Inuyasha's eye twitched. "What?" He bit out.

"Nothing." They all said quickly. Then, Miroku got back to his story.

"So, I'd been drinking a lot of water that day," Some of them were already snickering quietly to themselves. It was just something about the way Miroku talked when he told a story or told them something from his past. "And we were finally going out for recess. I was wicked excited. Then, it was, like, I don't know, a few minutes before we had to go back to class and I hadn't gone down the slide yet."

"Aww, poor Roku." Sango said, making her voice sound like she was talking to a baby.

"Shut up." He said, making a face. "Anyway, I got to the top of the slide and was like, 'Oh no, I have to go to the bathroom.' But, my friend urged me to go down the slide. She was all, 'It's wicked fun! Come on, just go down, it's really fast.' So, I sat down. The moment I sat down I knew I was in trouble and so I got up. She was like, 'Come ooon! Miroku, it's so fun. You're missin' out if you don't go down.' She was smiling so I knew it _had_ to be fun. Then my teacher told us to start lining up to go back inside and I was like jogging in place because I had to go so badly."

"Please tell me you went down the slide." Kagura said in a begging tone and Miroku smiled.

"I'm getting there, don't worry. So, I was being rushed the same time that I had to go to the bathroom. The two together just do not work well. My friend rolled her eyes. 'Just go already!' She screamed. Then she pushed me on to my bum and pushed me down the slide. I gasped and I felt the warm feeling of pee running down my leg. Once I was at the end of the slide I started to cry. It was a big yellow slide. The color of urin..." He said the last part with thought and Kouga laughed.

"Wrong part to talk about the slide." Kagome muttered and they all laughed.

"Yeah," Miroku said with a smile. "You're right. I just thought I'd add that though since I was thinking about how it would've been wicked fun to have gone down it when I wasn't in need of a bathroom."

"Yeah." She said lightly. "I used to love playgrounds." And suddenly it was Kagome's turn to tell a story. She paused for a moment to process what she'd just figured out. When you hung out with your friends you could do various things. This time they were telling stories from their past and last time they were gossiping and the boys were throwing around a football. She knew that there was more to it than that but she was starting to get it. And, she liked how she was starting to get it. "I remember one time when I was younger, my mom took me to this _wicked_ nice park. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was the bluest I'd ever seen it. I don't think I've seen it that blue since. Oh, and the clouds!" She gasped and sat up straighter. "They were gorgeous. So damn beautiful. They were big, white, and fluffy." She chuckled quietly and put a finger to her nose. "And the smells, they were even better. My senses were like completely heightened or something."

"Hmm, wonder what you took that day?" Kouga joked.

"Oh, shut up." Kagome said. "I didn't take anything." She said seriously and everyone realized that she hadn't gotten the joke. But, they just let it pass. "And neither had my mother." She said, smiling slightly. "She was totally and completely there with me. And she saw the same things and she smelled the same flowers that I had smelled and she picked me up and let me touch the leaves of a really tall tree. Or, at least it seemed tall at the time." Kagome sighed. "Then she pushed me while I was on the swings and it was just the most amazing day!" She said wistfully. "I'll never forget it. That day was one of the best days of my life." They were all silent for a moment; drinking in Kagome's serious story. Every once in a while you needed one of those during the kind of day that they were having.

"One time I got so drunk that I walked all the way down to this park and scared all the kids away." Kouga said seriously and all was back to normal.

"Yeah? Did you remember what happened the next morning?" Sango asked.

"Nope, Inuyasha had to tell me. Then, bits and pieces came back to me."

"Feh, it wasn't an easy task either. He was puking the whole time."

"Oh, ew." Kagome said and everyone laughed. Laughter, it was something that happened often when you were with friends and Kagome loved it.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, it's the end of the 10th chapter. Sorry about the grammar mistakes, I have to help my mom clean... if I don't I fear she'll kill me :P! Byeness for now.**


	11. Finally Noticing Them

Disclaimer - Hey, I don't own Inuyasha.

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A/N: What's going on? How was your day? I hope it was as nice as mine was. I truly hope that you're doing well and that everything is okay. I don't want you to think I'm being an ass and just pretending that I care because I actually _do _care. And even though I don't know you and I probably never will, I care about you and I hope that your day and all your days to come, are wonderful...

I just watched V for Vendetta... Hope that explains my randomness.

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Kagome stared up at her ceiling. It was Monday morning and her alarm had just woken her up. Thoughts of the past few days flew into her mind and she shook her head with a smile.

"I never _knew_ that life could be so... nice." She laughed at the words and stretched.

"Kagome...?" Kagome lifted herself up on her elbows to look at her little brother.

"Guess what?" Kagome said to Souta, lifting him up on the bed and wrapping her arms around him then placing her chin on top of his head.

"What?" He asked with a smile.

"It's the last week of school!" She said excitedly and Souta giggled. He didn't really understand why she was so excited, school sounded really fun to him since he hadn't gone yet.

"Yay!" He said, getting up and jumping up and down on the bed. "No more school!" He tried to say, over and over again. Kagome laughed happily and grabbed him around the waist, pulled him down, and tickled him till he couldn't breathe.

"You're just too cute." She said, kissing him multiple times on his cheeks and tummy.

"N-no!" He wailed as he laughed uncontrollably. "Hehe, Kagome! S-stop!" Once she heard the word stop, she did. He laughed a bit more and then he relaxed. "I love you Kaggy." He said, wrapping his little arms around his sister's waist. Kagome sighed and ran her hand through his hair.

"Come on," She said, lightly pushing him off her. "I need to get ready."

"Mmmkay." He said, snuggling into her tiredly one more time before leaving her be and trotting into the kitchen.

"Heh, he's so weird." Kagome said to herself. She opened her closet doors and picked out what she would wear to school that morning. She chose an old pair of jeans and a cream colored T-shirt, which used to be white, with an image of a fish and the words, "Fly Fishing Only." She had no idea why she'd gotten the shirt but she loved it.

"So," She looked up to see her mother at her bedroom door. "You've finally got a life?"

"Kind of." Kagome said smiling. "I'll see ya later mom." She said, walking by her and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek goodbye.

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

"Can you believe it?" Sango asked her friends. "Just one more week, _this_ week, until **school's out for the summer.**" She sang the last part like the goof she was. They were all out at the front of the school, sort of secretly waiting for Kagome. Sango threw the cigarette she'd been smoking on the ground and stepped on it.

"School's out for-eva." Miroku sang stupidly and everyone laughed. Kagura looked over at the girl that was walking towards them.

"Would you look at that," She said with awe. Kagome was finally going to them instead of waiting for one of them to pop up somewhere unexpected.

"Hey," Kagome said shyly, smiling.

"Well, hello." Inuyasha said, slightly shocked. "What's up?"

"Nothing." She said with a shrug, shoving her hands in her jean pockets. She sat down on one of the stairs beside Sango. They all stood up and walked in front of Kagome, puzzled looks on their faces. "You guys gotta stop with the looking at me weird." She said, turning slightly. That was when she truly noticed what they looked like for the first time since she'd started hanging out with them. First, she examined Kouga.

"Like what ya see?" He joked and Kagome didn't respond. She noticed he was wearing black, faded jeans and a white t-shirt. She saw a chain hanging from one of his pockets and rolled her eyes. He had blue eyes and his long, brown hair was put up. His hair was clean but had some type of messy edge to it. His shoes were completely dirty so she just gave up on looking at them. Then, she turned to Kagura.

"Hmm...!" She whined slightly, disliking the attention. Kagura had her jet black hair, probably dyed, up in a tight but beautiful bun. Her brown eyes seemed to glow red with a kind of pain; Kagome frowned. She wore little make-up besides some red eye shadow, black eye liner, and clear lip gloss because her lips were already red enough without coloring.

Kagome noticed that she was wearing a few elastics on her wrists and smiled. She did that too, occasionally. But, only when she was annoyed with people to a point where she needed to snap herself awake with the elastics.

Kagura wore navy blue jeans and a white t-shirt that barely had sleeves. The image on the shirt was an actual heart with the words "The Used" at the bottom in fancy lettering. She wore red sneakers that had a slight heel. Miroku laughed at Kagome's odd expressions and suddenly regretted it because he was who she looked at next.

"Kago-" Inuyasha made him shut up by giving him a glare. He wore slightly baggy, blue, jeans and a black t-shirt. The t-shirt wasn't very loose and Kagome could tell he worked out. She smirked and they could only imagine what she was thinking. She then looked down at his feet and saw he was wearing a new pair of black and white sneakers. She looked at his face seeing he'd just shaved that morning; his face was shimmering slightly with a smooth look to it. His gray eyes bore into hers and she looked away. Sango was her next victim.

"You're so funny." Sango said, shaking her head and smiling from ear to ear. She nudged Inuyasha and Miroku since she was in the middle of them and smirked. She had her dark brown hair up in a high pony tail and was wearing hot pink eye shadow with some type of red lip gloss. She had on brown eye liner that made her eyes pop magnificently. She wore a v-neck, brown t-shirt that, at the v, had a pink lace bow like she was some sort of present. Her shirt had pink polka dots all over it. Kagome then took a look at her pants which were dark blue. They, of course, were jeans. She noticed writing all over the pants and just figured she'd bought them that way and then she noticed it was Sango's writing.

, she thought to herself,_ Maybe one day, I'll read what it says. _Then, she looked down at her brown sneakers and laughed. She couldn't imagine where the hell Kagura and Sango got their shoes. Then, there was Inuyasha. She smiled a small smile and gave him the once over. It was like she was seeing him for the first time. 

Inuyasha looked her in the eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. She laughed at him.

"Stand up _straight._" She demanded and he did, saluting her.

"Yes ma'am." He said, quickly winking at her which made her smile on the inside since she was already smiling on the outside. He was wearing a black, slightly loose, t-shirt. She looked down and saw that he was wearing a black, leather belt around his dark blue jeans which were loose but not baggy. His shirt was lazily tucked in and Kagome truly doubted that he even noticed his entire shirt wasn't tucked in. Of course, that didn't matter though because it still looked good; it made him something more for some strange reason. She then looked at his hands noticing multiple, silver rings. Little did she know, each one was very important and had a story behind them. It was the only reason he'd even wear them. She looked lower and saw he was wearing faded, old, black shoes.

"I wonder what _I_ look like." She said with a small laugh.

"Want us to tell you?" Inuyasha joked and Kagome shook her head.

"I'd rather you not. I'm wearing a really fucked up shirt." She snorted and they all laughed.

"I like it." Kagura said. "My dad and I used to go fly fishing. That shirt's funny."

"I don't even know what fly fishing is." Kagome said with a shrug, her hands up. "But, the fish were hilarious so I had to get the shirt." She said.

"That's nice." Kouga said sarcastically.

"Aww, thanks." Kagome said back, batting her eyes. "I thought they were cute." She said, dropping the act. She pulled on her shirt and looked down at the silly fish with wings. "Nah," She said with a giggle, "They're just wicked weird."

"Oh Kagome," Sango said, shaking her head and taking a seat beside her. "I'm so happy you've opened up to us."

"You quit smoking yet?" She asked and Sango laughed.

"You know," She said, getting up. "I think I'm gonna try."

"Try what?" Inuyasha asked, sitting down to their left and facing them, his back on the wall.

"Try to quit smoking you idiot." Kagura said, smacking him upside the head and taking a seat beside him. She yawned, clearly tired.

"Rough night?" Inuyasha asked, smirking.

"Yeah, kind of." Kagura said, rubbing her neck. She went to lay her head on Inuyasha's shoulder but he'd gotten up and was walking over to Miroku. She looked at him, her eyes widening. No one but Kagome saw this and her shoulders drooped.

"So, are you pumped for the summer, or what?" Sango asked Kagome and she smiled.

"Yeah, I can't wait."

"You know we're all hanging out over the summer, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Kagome said, shocked by the statement. She'd assumed that would happen but, then again, she may have been getting ahead of herself. Then, the five minute bell rang, indicating that they should get to their lockers and get their stuff or, they'd be late. Kouga rolled his eyes.

"I truly, _hate_ that bell." He said sarcastically, making his way into the high school building. The others followed behind him but Kagome and Inuyasha stayed outside.

"I'm glad that you're starting to come around." He said softly, a warm wind brushing their cheeks.

"Mmm, _you_ would be." She said, turning with an all knowing smile.

"And why would _I_ be happy about this?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Because," She began with a sigh. "It means that you won." Then she laughed, walked past him and through the front doors. He stayed there for a moment, watching Kagome walk over to her locker from afar.

"Today is gonna be a good day." He said to himself quietly. "A _really_ good day."

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

Kagome could barely pay attention in class. All she wanted to do was get to lunch and talk with her _friends_. She smiled at the thought and kept shaking herself out of daydreams. Then, a new thought entered her mind. Was Kagura in love with Inuyasha? She frowned and began to tap her pencil on her desk. _Nah, no way_. Her inner self chuckled at the thought. And yet, there was a part of her that said it could be a possibility. She'd seen what had happened that morning and for some reason she felt a pang of guilt.

"Who am I kidding?" She asked herself in a whisper. There was no way that Inuyasha _liked_ her, Kagome, of all people. That wasn't why he'd pulled away from Kagura. No, he just hadn't noticed it. _But, Kagura _did

"Kagome, would ya stop tapping your pencil?" Kouga asked from behind her. Kagome looked down at her right hand and smiled goofily at him.

"I completely forgot I was even doing that." She said, snickering quietly. Kouga rolled his eyes.

"Eh, it was just bothering me." He said, crossing his arms and she turned to face him fully. That was when she noticed that everyone was talking and the short lesson for that day was done.

"Huh, that's funny." Kagome said to herself, shaking her head. "I never noticed that you were in this class." He laughed out loud.

"All year long, I've sat behind you." He said, looking at her as if she were insane. She shrugged.

"I don't think I noticed _anything_ this year or _any_ year, for that matter, since high school began." Kagome said frankly and Kouga smirked.

"How could you resist lookin' at a guy as attractive as me?" He joked and Kagome blushed. She didn't know how to respond, she was never in a situation like that before. Kouga felt an awkward silence settle, realizing he'd put her in a strange position.

"Well, Kouga," She began, folding her hands in front of her. "You sat behind me." She said, smiling. Kouga stared at her for a few moments then burst out laughing.

"That's true," He muttered, still laughing quietly. "Least you know I'm here now." He said and Kagome shrugged.

"You still sit behind me." She said with sarcasm and he smirked.

"Right, I guess I'm just going to have to sit in front of you from now on." He got up and took the seat in front of her which was conveniently empty.

"Nooo, that's not your assigned seat." She said, holding in a laugh. Kouga looked around the room and rolled his eyes.

"Like any of _them_ are following the seating chart." He said and Kagome nodded her head.

"You're right; maybe I should tell the teacher." She said with mock worry but Kouga shook his head.

"No need. She's the one who told everyone to go off and do their own thing." He shrugged and Kagome put a finger to her chin. After a moment of thinking she gave up.

"Alright, alright. Sit where you want. But," She bit out with sarcastic seriousness, "I'll be watching you." She said.

"That was the plan, wasn't it?" He asked with a smirk and Kagome rolled her eyes and smiled at him.

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

When lunch finally came along, Kagome didn't know where to sit. Was she supposed to go the cafeteria or was she supposed to go out in the front of the school? She went over to the cafeteria door to see if anyone was in there but she couldn't really see the entire room.

"Hey Kagome, what are you doing?" Someone asked beside her and she jumped so high she thought she might have a heart attack.

"Oh," She said, breathing fast and clutching her heart. "It's just you." Miroku laughed.

"You say that like it's a good thing." He said creepily. Kagome's left brow twitched.

"Could you not?" She said after a moment and Miroku dropped the act with a sigh.

"Fine." He said unhappily. "Where is everyone anyways?" He asked himself more than her.

"I was trying to see if they were in the cafeteria when you scared the shit out of me." She said with a snicker and he frowned.

"Oooh, so _that's_ what you were doing." He said, nodding his head and she nodded hers in return.

"Yep."

"Hmmm," Miroku mused. He raised an arm and wrapped it around Kagome's shoulder. "Walk with me."

"Hey, wait a sec!" Kagome protested as he dragged her along. "Where are we going?"

"I'm just taking us to where I believe they all are." He said as if it was obvious and she nodded her head, accepting his answer.

"Alright, lead the way then." Kagome said, taking his arm off of her. He laughed and just kept on walking. He finally reached a door that had the faded words, "Reading Lab" on it. Miroku opened the door and Kagome shook her head, confused, but followed him anyway.

"Hey, we were wondering where you two were." Sango said. Kagome looked around the small, dark lit room and almost passed out. What the hell was going on? She noticed they had a few tables set up and a couple chairs here and there. There was also an old looking couch at the far right side of the room. She almost passed out with amazement.

"What is this place?" She asked softly, walking over to Sango who was seated on the couch. She sat down beside her and Sango laughed.

"It used to be this old Reading Lab, or whatever." Sango said, getting up and walking over to a refrigerator that was actually working. She pulled out a coke and offered one to Kagome who accepted the offer.

"Thanks," Kagome muttered, opening the can and then taking a sip. "Don't you worry someone will find this place?"

"Nah, no one's ever caught us and we've been in here since freshmen year." Kouga piped up and Kagome looked over at him. That's when she noticed he and Inuyasha were playing a game of chess. She smiled at Sango then got up and walked over to them.

"What are you doing?" She asked them, though it was quite clear. Inuyasha looked up at her and rolled his eyes.

"You're kidding, right?" He asked and Kagome crossed her arms.

"Just tell me whose turn it is."

"Mine." Inuyasha said with a smirk and Kouga growled slightly.

"Yeah, and he just won." Kouga said, leaning back in his chair with anger. "It's cause you came over." He joked and Kagome laughed, pulling a chair over to sit on it.

"Yes, I was the cause of it all." She said, smiling at Inuyasha. "I _made_ you win."

"Nope, that was alllll me." He teased and Kouga sighed.

"They always play." Kagura said, coming over and leaning on Kouga's chair. "And, they always take turns."

"On what?" Kagome asked, sipping on her coke. Kagura gave her a puzzled look and Kagome clarified, "I mean, what do they take turns on?"

"Oh!" Kagura said, beginning to walk around the table. "They always take turns on winning." She took hold of Inuyasha's shoulders, went down to his ear and whispered something.

"That's a lie!" Inuyasha boomed but he didn't seem angry.

"No, no it's true." Kagura said finding her way over to Kouga. Then she bent down and whispered in his ear, the entire time looking at Inuyasha. Kagome feels anger sweep over her. What was Kagura _doing? _Kagura's warm breath on Kouga's ear was driving him crazy he could barely think straight and then he'd realized what she'd said.

"Duuude, you're lying." He said, shock slightly evident in his voice.

"What?" Kagome asked in defeat. "What is she lying about?"

"She thinks that we let one another win." Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "It's a lie." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"And so what if you two let one another win occasionally?" Kagome asked and all three of them glared at her like she was nuts.

"They're very competitive." Miroku said and Kagome turned to face him while Kagura sat down to watch Inuyasha and Kouga play another game.

"Ah, I see. And is Kagura the one that always pushes them to more games?" She asked with a smirk and Miroku nodded his head.

"It's something that they always do. Otherwise, I think they'd just stop playing." He shrugged and Kagome understood what he was saying.

"Niiice." She said with a snicker and Miroku joined her.

"How's your day been?" Someone asked suddenly and everyone looked at Inuyasha then Kagome.

"Wh-what?" She asked, puzzled.

"The question was for you." Inuyasha said with a smirk. Kagome almost fell off her chair.

"Dude, you're playing chess, you didn't look up, and you didn't say my name. How was I supposed to know that that question was directed to me?"

"Hmmm?" He asked, feigning confusion and she gave up.

"Never mind." She looked at him, her brow furrowed, and answered his question. "My day has been excellent." She said and Inuyasha nodded his head.

"That's good." He said simply and Kagome laughed.

"Yes, I think that it's good too." She walked over to him took her chair with her. Her arm accidentally brushed his and he seemed to burn her. "What the hell?" She muttered, touching her arm. She felt him again and that time on purpose. "Um, Inuyasha are you feeling alright?" She asked and he looked at her.

"Um, yes Kagome. Are you?" He smiled and she rolled her eyes.

"You're burning up." She took his long bangs and pushed them away, quickly kissing his forehead without thinking. "Huh," She said, perplexed. "Nope," She sat down. "You're fine." That's when she noticed all eyes were on her. "_What!?_"

"You just kissed his forehead." Sango said and Kagome put a hand to her mouth.

"Really?" She asked and they all nodded their heads. Kagome laughed. "Guys I was being sarcastic, I knew I kissed his forehead."

"But why did you do so?" Miroku asked, smirking and Kagome gave a heavy sigh.

"It's an easy fever check." She said simply and they all nodded their heads.

"Oooh," They said at the same time and Sango nodded her head.

"Riiight, when I was younger that's what my mom would always do if I told her I wasn't feeling to hot."

"Yep." Kagome nodded her head. Inuyasha touched his forehead.

"I feel fine." He muttered and then he touched his arm. "Maybe not so much there..."

"Yeah, which was why I checked." Kagome replied and Inuyasha nodded his head, accepting her answer. "I do with Souta whenever he's sick."

"Awww, that's so cute." Kagura said, sitting down with Kagome. "How's that kid doing?" Kagome beamed.

"He's great. He's so smart too." She said nervously but happily at the same time. "He can't wait to go to school, it's ridiculous." She laughed and then she noticed that everyone was smiling at her. Everyone besides Inuyasha and Kouga, they were too into their game to notice anything else. "What?" She asked sweetly and they all laughed, wanting to hug her.

"You really love him." Sango said with a shrug. "You're a great sister."

"Oh." Kagome said, slightly sad. "Yeah," Then she looked at them and smiled.

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

At the end of the day, Kagome was feeling happier than ever. Everyone had been so nice to her at lunch, like she was one of them. And she had no idea why but she wanted to be their friend. It was a great feeling to be needed and to be wanted.

Kagome finished getting everything she needed out of her locker and sighed. Summer kept hitting her in little, unexpected moments and she loved it. She, for the first time in her high school life, wanted summer to just hurry up. The seniors were already gone and it was kind of strange with such empty halls. She was happy that all of her new friends were in the same grade as her. That way, they would all leave at the same time. The thought, for some reason, made her shudder.

"Hey Kagome." Someone whispered in her ear and turned, finding Inuyasha. And Kouga, Miroku, Sango, and Kagura. She shook her head, laughing on the inside.

"Hey." She laughed out.

"Need a ride?" Inuyasha asked her and she thought for a moment. She could either walk home or catch a ride from Inuyasha. She shifted from her right foot to her left foot and then back again. They were killing her. She'd never noticed it before but her feet were always killing her.

"Yes." She said, slightly dramatically and Inuyasha chuckled.

"Alright, you and I can take my car." Then he began to walk past her Kagome jogged after him. Then, Inuyasha turned around and began walking backwards. "Anybody else need a ride?" Kagura squeaked.

"I do!" She said and Miroku rolled his eyes.

"I thought you were getting a ride with Kouga." He said and Kagura sighed.

"I completely forgot." Kouga smirked.

"Of course you did." Kagura stuck her tongue out at him with a pout.

"I reeeally did!" She said in her defense and they all sighed.

"Right." Sango said with a small laugh, putting her arm around Kagura's shoulder. "Let's go before you remember you have English homework and need to go back to your locker." Kagura's left brow twitched.

"Oh, that's right." She said, her voice high. "I _do_ have some homework I need to do tonight..." She snaked her way out of Sango's grasp and ran towards her locker, quickly grabbing everything she needed.

"Why'd you even say anything?" Miroku asked Sango as Kagura closed her locker. But, Sango was looking after Inuyasha and Kagome who were slowly disappearing. She smiled and looked over at Miroku.

"Were you saying something?" She asked and he stared at her for a moment, shock in the form of a lump in his throat.

"N-no." He said, shaking his head. He lips twitched and then he smiled at her. She gave him a confused smirk and then walked ahead of the others, leaving the building.

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

Kagome layed her head against the car chair, trying to relax. She shut her eyes, calm and content.

"Hey, you gonna pass out on me?" Inuyasha asked and her eyes flew open. She was breathing heavily and grinning up at him like an idiot.

"I'm freezing." She said, stretching and sitting up fully.

"There's a sweatshirt in the back." Inuyasha pointed and Kagome unbuckled to get it. She touched the material and sighed. She put the navy sweatshirt on, shivering.

"I don't know," She yawned, "Why I'm so cold." She said through clenched teeth. She took in a deep breath and was overcome with what could only be described as a male scent. But, it wasn't bad it was good. She loved it. "Who's is this?"

"Mine." Inuyasha said, rolling his eyes.

"It's comfy." Kagome muttered, snuggling into the sweatshirt.

"I know." Inuyasha laughed. Kagome looked up at the sky and shut her eyes. The clouds were rolling in, it was going to rain.

"Those clouds," Kagome pointed at them, her long fingers looking somewhat beautiful in the dark thunder clouds. "Are so amazing." She said simply and Inuyasha nodded his head. He looked over at her and was confused at what he saw. It was like she was happy and yet she looked so depressed it hurt him.

"What's wrong?" He asked her and she looked up at him like it was the last moment in time.

"Nothing." She said, slightly shocked. He parked his car outside the front of her house. "Hey, you wanna meat my brother?" Kagome asked suddenly and Inuyasha's left brow flew up.

"Sure." Was all he said before they left his car and went into the house.

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**A/N: I wish sooo badly that I could keep going b/c it's been so long since I've updated but I can't. If I didn't stop there I would've done an entire chapter's worth more. Any who, I hope you liked it! Please review. I'll fix the grammar mistakes when I get back from NH. I was packing this morning and only had time to post this!!! Lol, laterrr.**


	12. Bugs and Love

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha. I also don't own Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson. **

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**A/N - Hey, long time no chapter hehe... I'm sorry, this happens to me all the time. If you like this you might like my other fics so check them out in your spare time or when I haven't updated this one and you want to read more. Anyways, I hope you like (love) this next chapter!**

**Enjoy. Read and review! (please :smiles like a nut: I could eat you... but I won't... I won't...)**

**ALSO, LITTLE TIP - If you listen to the music while you read, just press play, put on repeat, and let it flow. Ignore the bolded words, they're there to show it's a song-fic part... Hope you get it.**

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Before Kagome took her house keys out of her pocket, she stopped short and nearly smacked herself on the forehead.

"You already met Souta!" she said, laughter and self-hatred written on her face. Inuyasha nodded his head in return.

"I know, which is why I was a little confused..." He said, his hands buried deep in his pockets. Kagome frowned and wondered what he might've expected from her.

"Yeah," Kagome mused, her thoughts drifting to other places. Then, she shook herself awake, "At the ice cream place. Man, that seems like so freakin' long ago. Hence why I barely remembered." She said, smiling as she looked up at him. They stood there a few minutes, an awkward silence coming over them. But, before it could settle, Inuyasha spoke up.

"I could, um, meet him _again._" He smirked. "No doubt the kid's forgotten me." Kagome laughed.

"Nah, he'll remember you. He has an amazing memory." She said, opening the front door. "Come on in, I'll get you something to drink."

"Who said I wanted something to drink?" Inuyasha asked quietly even as he walked further into the house which seemed more like an apartment building. The stairs that lead to the front door, the yellow-ness of the place, then the rooms themselves all added up to one.

"Hi." Souta murmured, looking up at Inuyasha with curiosity. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome who was out in the kitchen, which was right across the hall from the front door, and bending over the open refrigerator. She looked different in some way; older.

"Uh," Inuyasha murmured, kneeling down to become eye level with him. "Hey." He smiled and Souta rubbed his tired eyes. He'd just woken up from his afternoon nap when Kagome and Inuyasha had come into the house.

"I remember you." Souta giggled out.

"Yeah?" Inuyasha asked, grinning in spite of himself.

"Mmmhmmm." Souta yawned. "Me and Kaggy were out getting some food and ice-ice cweam!" He said, becoming excited entirely too fast. Inuyasha chuckled.

"That so?"

"Yeah," Souta said, suddenly serious and looking down at the ground. "Cream." He said clearly, his lips pursed.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, a bit confused. "Before you said 'cweam...'" He said, sort of getting it.

"Yeah," Souta nodded his head, upset with himself. "I'm working on my speech skills."

"Well, speech skills are important... so, uh, we should all work on them every now and then." Inuyasha replied, trying to teach him something he already knew.

"Yeah," Souta agreed, nodding his head vigorously. Inuyasha laughed and pat him on the head, completely bewildered. Moments later, Kagome entered the room with three drinks.

"I don't know what you like so I just got you some ice water." She said, placing each cup on the coffee table and onto a coaster. "Plus, it's kind of all we have." She smiled at him. "Souta, drink your apple juice."

"Alright," He said politely. "But first Inu... Inu... Inu has to drink his water." Souta said, struggling with Inuyasha's name. "He has to make sure it's not poison." Kagome cackled evilly and began to tickle her brother.

"How did you discover my evil plan so quickly?" She asked, her voice disguised as an evil witch. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and took a big gulp of his water. Kagome and Souta both froze.

"No!" Souta screamed and Kagome rolled over with laughter. Inuyasha winked at Kagome and began to falsely choke on his water.

"Help m-me... Sou-" Then he toppled over and 'fainted.' Souta gasped and hurried over to Inuyasha. Kagome feigned surprise.

"I don't know what happened to him." She said, shrugging. Souta glared at her and began to shake Inuyasha.

"Wake up, wake up!" He said frantically, out of breath. "Kago-Kagome you _killed_ him!" He scowled. "Now what are we gonna do?" He asked, a hand on his left hip and a finger on his chin.

"Well, we've gotta make sure he's really dead." Kagome said, forgetting that she was the one that had 'killed' him in the first place so obviously she had come out of character. But, Souta didn't seem to mind. Kagome put two fingers on Inuyasha's neck to pretend to check for a pulse.

"What're you doing?" Souta asked her, going around Kagome to get to Inuyasha's chest. "We need to listen for his 'eart!" He put both hands on either side of him in a strange kind of embrace and leaned his ear on the left side of Inuyasha's chest. "I can't hear anything!" Souta whispered in shock. "You check." He clapped his hands together and pointed to where her head was supposed to go. She removed her two fingers from his neck and slid her hand down to his chest. She could barely tell if he was breathing but she knew he was. Suddenly the realization came to her that _she_ was the one in short supply of oxygen. Kagome sighed and lied her head down on his chest. She heard the steady beat of his heart and felt herself begin to relax.

"Souta, I can hear a heartbeat." She said softly shutting her eyes.

"Yay!" He squealed and Kagome laughed quietly. Then, Inuyasha opened his shut eyes and realized that Kagome was the one with their head on his chest. He slowly began to wrap his arms around her, holding her to him. Kagome opened her eyes, confused.

"What are you-?" She questioned but he quieted her and she took in a deep breath. He moved his right hand up and down her back slowly, relaxing her even more. Kagome felt a shiver run down her spine as Inuyasha softly breathed into her hair. She felt her face warming and sleep fluttering above her. _I can't do this... _she thought with horror. _I'm getting too close to him and I can't do this... Plus, Souta just had a nap he won't want another one and I can't _do_ this... _All of a sudden she felt tears well in her eyes and she removed herself from him immediately.

"What's wrong?"

"Um," She shut her eyes, blinking the tears away. "Nothing." She smiled, her voice wavering. "This was nice." She said, looking over at Souta and smiling. "Huh?" She asked him, pulling him into her lap and Souta snuggled into her, shutting his eyes.

"Mhmm, so much fun!" He giggled and looked up at Kagome. "Will Inu come again?" Kagome laughed.

"Well you never know, maybe." Souta clapped his hands together and Kagome did so too. Inuyasha was looking at Kagome in huge confusion. Hadn't she enjoyed his touch as much as he'd enjoyed hers? He'd been so close to just falling asleep. And Souta was a young kid who got tired easilly. Everyone could've had a nice nap so what had happened?

"Hey Souta?" Souta looked over at Inuyasha and cocked his head to the side.

"Yeah?" He asked innocently and Inuyasha smiled in spite of himself. He was doing that a lot lately.

"I just wanted to let you know that, any time you wanna hang out, just tell your sister and I'll come by and see you." Souta jumped up and down happily and Kagome rolled her eyes at Inuyasha.

"Way to get him going." She muttered, trying to sound angry but failing miserably. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, irritated with her.

"Hey baby!" They all turned towards the voice and saw Kagome and Souta's father.

"Oh, hey dad. I was wondering where you were." Kagome said quietly, her eyes sad but a smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Dan." Kagome's father extended his hand out to Inuyasha who was now standing.

"Hey, I'm Inuyasha." They both smiled at one another and shook hands. Kagome stood up and took Souta's hand in hers.

"So dad," She looked at the ground, her eyes cast downward. "Where were you again?" Dan looked at his daughter, guilty for a mere second. Then, he recovered magnificently.

"Just out for a minute," He looked down at his son and grinned, pulling out a candy bar from his back pocket.

"Da-ad!" Kagome whined with a pout. Souta carefully unwrapped his chocolate and licked his lips. But, he looked as if he were torn between the candy bar and his sister.

"'Gome..." He looked up at his sister, his eyes boring into hers and making her melt.

"Alright!" She gave in and threw her arms into the air. She shook her head and put a hand on her hip. "But you have to promise to give me a small piece, alright?" Souta giggled at her request and nodded his head. Kagome smiled at him and nudged his shoulder. Then, Inuyasha made a little noise in the back of his throat.

"Well," He said. "I'm gonna go." Kagome looked at him for a moment, for some reason unable to process that he was leaving. Then, she walked him to the front door. As Inuyasha walked down the stairs to his car, Kagome felt this rising pain starting in her stomach and moving up her neck.

"Hey! Inuyasha?" He turned and Kagome smiled at him slightly. "This really _was_ nice, thanks." He shook his head, smirking slightly, and walked to his car. Once he was in, he waved goodbye. He was about to leave but then he stopped in the driveway and rolled his window down.

"Later Higurashi!" He said in his smooth, raspy voice and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Later." She said to herself as he drove away. She looked up at the sky and realized that it was raining. "Yay." She whispered and Souta found his way to her side. He hugged her leg and looked up at what he thought Kagome might be looking at.

"The sky is gloomy when it rains." He said, stifling a yawn and Kagome picked him up and rested him on her hip.

She shrugged and said, "I guess you're right... but Souta?" He looked at her, his head cocked to the side. "The rain can also be quite enjoyable." She could smell the rain that was hitting the hot pavement in the mist it was creating. "It smells so wonderful, too." She smiled and Souta nodded his head.

"Yeah, it smells like hot days." He replied and Kagome laughed, knowing he was completely right. "I just know that sometimes? When it rains? I feel sad and don't want to do anything."

"Well," Kagome began, frowning slightly, "When you get older you should go running in the rain." She grinned and then she was serious. "But only in hot weather because cold weather running is just yucky." She touched her nose to his and gave him an Eskimo kiss. "Love ya."

"Whateva!" He mocked, a giggle in his voice. She pat his butt and then let him down and he ran away. "You can't catch me!" He giggled and Kagome was livid, smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh yes I can!" She growled and she was after him within moments. Her smile was so wide and so true that her cheeks hurt. She laughed at the thought and continued to chase him. Suddenly, the front door was opening and Kagome stopped short at the sound, something like aprehension settling in her stomach before she knew who it was.

"Hey guys!" Sherry said. In her arms she carried some food that she'd bought on her way home from work.

"Mom." Kagome frowned, taking a look at what she had in her arms. "You're home early."

"I know!" Sherry sounded excited. "They let me out early; it was so nice of them." Kagome crossed her arms over her chest not believing a word her mother was saying.

"Ma, you're a nurse. They would never do that." Kagome glanced at the bags her mother was holding, took them from her and brought them into the kitchen.

"What's this?" Kagome asked, taking out the contents of the bags. "Honey ham? Macaroni and cheese? Potatoes?" Kagome smiled, looking up at her mother. "This looks great."

"I know," Sherry nodded her head happily. "I've just gotta cook up the ham and we can eat!"

"Okay, I'll go find Souta."

"You lost him? And I thought I was the bad one." Sherry chuckled, taking out some pans to cook the ham. Kagome shook her head, still smiling and went to search for her brother.

"Soutaaa!" Kagome's voice boomed throughout the house. "Where are you? Mom's home!" Suddenly, Souta was beside Kagome and hugging her leg.

"I knew you couldn't get me!" He said in triumph and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Just you wait, next time I'll get you for sure!"

Souta grinned up at his sister and said, "No way!" Then, he looked around and asked, "Where's mummy?"

"In the kitchen, go give her a nice hug and kiss." Kagome yelled up the stairs to her father to let him know Sherry was home.

"I'll be down in a minute!" He yelled back, a slight quiver in his voice. Kagome felt that hot feeling on top of her skin. Was her father doing something he shouldn't be? Again? She shook her head.

"What's the use; he doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself!" She said soflty to herself, exasperated. "He left Souta home alone for God knows how long... man, I wish he would wake up."

"Talking to yourself again?" Sherry asked with a smirk and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Need any help out in the kitchen?"

"Nah, I've got it." Sherry's long blonde hair was up in a ponytail and her lips shimmered red with newly applied lipstick.

"Mom?"

"Huh?" Kagome thought about what she was going to ask her and decided that there really wasn't anything to ask so, she just shook her head and smiled.

"Never mind."

"Alright," Sherry cocked a brow, "By the way, I quit my job and got one at the diner downtown." Almost immediately, Sherry scurried off into the kitchen. Kagome had still been smiling but then, her smile fell and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"_What?_" Kagome asked, shock and disappointment clear in her hurt voice. "This sucks mom! You know you need that job, right?"

"Yeah but babe, Dr. Ruth was a sexist pig and..." Kagome looked at her, anger written on her entire face. "He was harassing me! I couldn't deal his bull shit anymore so, I quit." Kagome followed her mother out into the kitchen where she was tossing the ham into the air and then letting it sizzle on the grill pan.

"Mom, money's tight, you know that!"

"Yeah, yeah, _I'm_ the mom, _I_ know if anyone knows!" Sherry said, angry that her daughter was trying to explain to her _mother_ that they had money problems. That was just downright disrespectful. "And I don't see you bringing home any money." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I'm home taking care of Souta in my free time. Which, by the way, I don't have a lot of!"

"Okay, fine." Sherry sighed as if she were the most stressed person on the face of the planet. "Listen," She turned the stove off and placed the ham on a plate. "I just couldn't take it anymore." Her eyes filled with tears. "He was gross," Sherry pouted and Kagome smiled in spite of what she wanted to do: stay mad. "And listen, I've already got another job!" She smiled and Kagome laughed slightly.

"Yeah, that's good."

"Great. So, are we okay?" Kagome frowned. That wasn't the point and it saddened her that her mom didn't get that. It was about something entirely different, why couldn't she see that as clearly as Kagome could?

"Uh, yeah." Kagome forced a smile. "We're great."

"Wonderful." Her mother grinned. Then, Kagome's cell phone rang. She dug into her pocket and pulled the phone out.

"Hello?"

"Hey," It was Kouga. Kagome frowned but excepted this strange call from him.

"Uh, what's up?"

"Nothing really, just wanted to see what you were up to." He said softly and Kagome could tell something was wrong.

"Kouga, are you okay?"

"Yeah... sort of. Listen, we've gotta talk." His voice sounded serious and Kagome had never seen this side of him; it was interesting.

"Sure, when?"

"Tonight, after you eat or whatever."

"How'd you know I was about to sit down to eat?" Kagome asked, smiling slightly.

"I'm psychic." He joked and she could tell he was smirking. "It could also do with the time of day but, who's looking at the clock? Anyways, where do you want to meet?"

"Your place?"

"Sure, whatever's best."

"Yeah, that sounds alright if it's alright with you." Kagome said, her voice a little higher than usual.

"Yup, see you in an hour or so." He went to hang up but then Kagome stopped him.

"Kouga wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Where do you live?" Kagome smiled slightly, "I've never been to your house..."

"So?"

"So... dude, I need some directions." She heard recognition in a small chuckle that came from the back of Kouga's throat.

"Oh, right," He said. He told her where to go and then they said their goodbyes.

But, not before Kagome asked, "Hey Kouga?"

"Yeaaah?" Kouga asked, on the verge of being irritated with her.

"Just wondering if this is going to be a serious get together or a fun one?" She joked and Kouga sighed.

"Wonderin' if you're gonna need to prepare yourself mentally for this?" He asked and she giggled.

"Exactly."

"Well, maybe you should..." Kouga muttered. "I don't know, do what you think is best." And then he hung up. Kagome frowned.

"Silly Kouga," She shook her head and her mother glanced at her from the kitchen table where she was putting down a bowl of mashed potatoes and another of mac 'n cheese.

"Silly 'who?'"

"Oh, just some friend. He asked me to meet with him after dinner, that alright?" Sherry smiled, perplexed.

"Uh, sure, if you want." Kagome nodded her head.

"I'd like to him. It might be fun." She said with a shrug, sitting down at the table and piling her plate with food. Suddenly, a thought struck her. Talking with Kouga was easy and natural. It was as if they'd known each other for a very long time and could joke about a multitude of things with one another. She wanted to see him that instant and it was scary. Her phone rang again. "Sorry," She muttered to her mother, getting up from the table and walking to the other side of the room to take her call. "Hello?"

"Hey Kagome! Wazzup buuud?" It was Sango. Kagome's mood lifted and she hadn't even noticed that before, she was a little down.

"Hey Sango, nothin' much. I'm heading over to Kouga's in an hour or so, you?"

"Ah, just hanging out. So, what do you think about a sleep over tonight? You're call. Kagura will be there too. It'll be a girl thing so your mom won't have to worry about the guys... but they might be there earlier on in the night. Like tonight, Inuyasha and Miroku are coming over at, like, 6 and Kagura's coming over now for a sleep over so I just thought it would be fun if you joined in." Kagome laughed because Sango actually sounded a little nervous.

"But Sango, it's a school night..." Kagome said, nervous. It was only Monday, what in the world was Sango talking about?

"Kagome, me and Kagura have sleepovers all the time when we need to get away from the family. It's nice and you should try it." Sango chuckled. "Plus, it's not like you'll be sleeping on the floor. I have extra beds. And even if you were, I'd make it comfy."

"I'll see about tonight after Kouga's." Sango laughed.

"All right, heck, you can stay the week if you want." The girls giggled like two nut jobs before saying their goodbyes.

"Well, I'll talk to you later... and thanks for thinking of me Sango, that was nice of you." Kagome said, her voice warm with thanks.

"Aww, dude no problem. Laterrr! Oh, and good luck with Kouga." Sango said happily.

"See ya." Then, Kagome shut her phone and walked back over to the kitchen table. _I wonder what she meant about 'good luke with Kouga? Eh, doesn't matter. _A smile was imprinted on her face and no matter how hard she tried, she didn't think she'd be able to force it away even if she wanted to. She settled back down to her food and shoved some of whatever was there into her mouth. "Yum!"

"Glad you like it." Sherry said, a suspicious look on her face. "Sooo, who was _that?_"

"Sango." Kagome answered, eating some more. "Wow, I hadn't noticed how hungry I was." Sherry laughed and walked over to the paper towels to get Kagome one.

"Here," She handed it to her and Kagome wiped the corner of her mouth on the cloth.

"Does Souta and dad know dinner's ready?"

"Mhmm, while you were on the phone I let them know." Sherry replied, sitting down to eat what was on her plate. Kagome noticed that Sherry had made a plate for Souta and her dad and smiled, she loved these days when her mom was normal and lately, they were there more than not. Then, once again, her phone rang. Sherry threw her hands up and laughed. "You're just the talk of the town, eh?" Kagome shook her head as if her mother was talking nonsense and tried to hide her smile as she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, you coming tonight?" It was Kagura.

"I'm thinking about it," Kagome said, something like a wall suddenly coming between them.

"Cool, can't wait." Kagura said, sounding like she had that same wall on her side of the line. There was an awkward pause and then Kagome heard Kagura breathe heavily on the other line.

"Listen-"

"So-" They both began at the same time. Kagura cleared her throat and Kagome waited.

"I want you to know that..."

"Yeah?" Kagome asked.

"Well, just that... I _want_ you to come tonight. I know I can seem cold sometimes but I really do want to be your friend." Kagome smiled, feeling some of their walls crumbling.

"Thanks Kagura, that means a lot." Kagome said with sincerity. Kagura smiled and hoped that Kagome had sensed it.

"Well, see you later." She said softly and Kagome nodded her head.

"Hopefully." She laughed and they pressed the end button on their phones, their conversation coming to a close. "I hope that's the last of the calls." Kagome said, back to her old self and happy for something to bring her back to neutrality and not an overboard of happiness. She ate some more and it took her a moment or two to notice Souta had made it to the dinner table. He was sitting on two or three pillows so that he could reach his food. Kagome laughed to herself and continued to eat. "So, what do you think Souta?"

"Yummm!" He said, bouncing a little and forcing his pillows to slip on the chair a little.

"Hon, be careful." Sherry said, ham on her fork and ready to go into her awaiting mouth. She put her fork down and walked over to Souta, helping him steady himself. "Eat." She said, giving him a slight smile and Souta's little eyes sparkled. "Who was that?" Sherry asked Kagome and Kagome shrugged.

"Just Kagura."

"Ahhh, I take it she's the 'frienemy.'"

"Huh?"

"Eh, you'll get it one day." She said with a small, angry smirk. "And anyways, who am I to judge her. She could be a perfectly charming young girl. Any plans for tonight other than going to Kouga's?" Kagome's eyes widened, her mouth full of macaroni.

"I completely forgot!" Kagome muttered, shocked with herself at how quickly she'd forgotten when she'd just been talking about it with Kagura. "May I sleep over Sango's? I know it's a school night but she said-"

"Sure." Sherry interrupted, her tone light, maybe even happier than before, and not the least bit worried. "I used to sleep over­ my girlfriends' houses all the time. We'd swap where we slept each night." She giggled. "Come to think of it, I still do that." She chuckled, trying to make a joke but Kagome rolled her eyes at the truth in what she said.

"Thanks mom." Kagome said, eating some more. Finally, Dan entered the kitchen looking paler than a ghost and Kagome didn't even want to know why. "Dad, you okay?" She asked, in spite of her better judgment.

"Just need something to eat." He said with a small burp, his eyes unable to focus on his daughter.

"Kay well, if it's a _bug,_ keep it away from us. Especially mom, she can't afford to get sick again." Kagome said with hatred towards this 'bug' she spoke of. Sherry hadn't really been listening so their conversation flew right by her and she piled some more mashed potatoes on Souta's plate.

"Wooo!" Souta cheered and Kagome sighed. Did she have the guts to leave him alone with these lunatics?

"Hey Kagome?" Sherry made her daughter look at her. "Don't worry about Souta, alright? I can take care of him for tonight and... if I can't I'll just call my mother." A little of Kagome's worry left her and she knew she was leaving her brother in slightly capable hands.

"Alright, I trust you." She joked in a serious way and Sherry smiled at her and touched her hand to her daughter's cheek.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence; don't worry." She repeated and Kagome sighed.

"I won't." After dinner, Kagome and Sherry cleaned up the plates and Dan went back into the the upstairs bathroom.

"I'll keep an eye on him, don't worry about that either. I've got this." Kagome smiled at her mother but wished with all her heart she wouldn't meddle with whatever the heck her father was doing.

"Please just let him be." Sherry could hear the urgency in Kagome's voice and nodded her head.

"Okay, all I'll do is occasionally yell up the stairs to see if he's okay." She said firmly and Kagome relaxed.

"I'm gonna go get some stuff ready to take to Sango's. I think I should take dad's car for the night..."

"Yep, do what you think is best." Sherry said, tossing some other dishes into the dishwasher before turning it on.

"Thanks again mom," Kagome said, pausing before giving her mother a warm hug. Sherry hugged her back with all the love she could muster and kissed her on the cheek.

"Have fun tonight!" Sherry said, pulling away from her. "If you don't, there _will_ be consequences." Kagome laughed and shook her head.

"I'll tell you all about it when I get back tomorrow." She half-joked with her and Sherry snickered.

"Go get ready," Then, Kagome trotted up the stairs to her bedroom and pulled out some clothes for the next day and some pajamas. Her toothbrush was in the downstairs bathroom so she could get it when she went back downstairs. She stopped before going down at the bathroom door. "Bye dad!" She yelled and heard her father grunt.

"Bye baby, love you! Later..." He slurred and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Love you too." She said, kissing the door before leaving him to himself.

"Just let him be..." She could hear herself beg Sherry and she wished with all her heart that she could follow her own advice. Too bad she wasn't as smart as she pretended to be. She loved her father and it was killing her that he didn't love her as­ much as he said he did. She just wanted him to get better, that's all.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Kagome quickly kissed her mother and brother goodbye before leaving the house. Once she was in the car, she glanced at the clock and smiled at the time. It was about an hour since her phone call with Kouga and she found it peculiar how right he was about when she'd be talking to him next.

"Okay, now, to find Kouga." Kagome loved driving it felt so free to her and she imagined it felt that way for most people but for her, it meant more. She'd written the directions to Kouga's house on a small piece of white paper and in red ink. It was easy to read that way. "I wonder what we're going to talk about..." Kagome mused, feeling slightly anxious about the meeting to come. It seemed as if she was driving for hours when she finally reached Kouga's house. It had really only been 15 minutes but she didn't care. Time goes by slowly when one is anxious. Kagome got out of the car and walked up Kouga's front steps. She went to ring his doorbell but Kouga beat her to it and opened the door for her.

**(Moments before...)**

Kouga paced his floor, wishing the rumbling of his stomach would just get over it already; he wasn't eating and that was that. He saw a shadow near his door growing closer and closer and knew it was Kagome. He could hear the sound of heavy rain hitting the pavement and the very thought of more rain made him roll his eyes.

"Man, there's been too much rain lately..." He growled as he walked over to get the door for Kagome. "Right on time." He said brightly, actually scaring Kagome in the process of opening his front door.

**(Now it's the same... hope you get it... hehe)**

Kagome was soaking wet and one had to wonder how long she'd just sat there enjoying the rain. He stared into her dark eyes for a moment and felt them mold into his very being. "Kagome...?" He whispered in what seemed like a question and she just looked at him, dumb-founded.

"Uhhh," Kagome droned, not knowing what to say. "Yeah?"

Kouga cleared his throat and said what he'd been planning to say to her when she'd gotten there. "Hey Kagome, how ya doing?" Kouga asked, that same cheerfulness in his voice that he used before. Kagome frowned and entered into Kouga's home. His living room was the first area that she walked into and everything was cozy and brown. The furniture looked absolutely delicious. Kagome began to twitch. She wanted to, no, _needed_ to touch the material.

"I'm, hehehe, I'm good, I'm good." Kagome's right eye began to move on its own accord and Kouga snickered quietly.

"Go ahead Kagome, it happens to everyone." Kagome looked at him in shock.

"What-what are you _talking_ about?" She asked, incredulous. "I'm f-f-fine."

"Clearly, you aren't. If it makes you feel better, Inuyasha almost pissed himself the first time he saw our new furniture. Kagome stopped her shaking, looked back and forth from the couch to Kouga then from Kouga to the couch. She casually walked over to the brown fluffy couch and sat down. And then, she melted. After about a minute passed, Kouga cleared his throat and Kagome sat up as a normal person would had they not just had a chocolate furniture overdose. She giggled quietly to herself, shook her head, and crossed her right leg over her left.

"So, um, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked, her feet twitching every once and a while.

"I wanted to talk about something?" Kouga feigned confusion and Kagome sighed.

"Yeah, least I think you did. I mean, you did _say_ 'listen, we've gotta talk' in this serious tone and I was all... _confused._" She laughed, stood up, and walked over to Kouga. She looked into his sad eyes and frowned. "What's wrong? It's okay if you don't want to talk about it anymore. We could just hangout or do whatever it is that friends do when a friend needs a shoulder to cry on." She joked, smiling the entire time. Kouga snickered and punched her softly on the shoulder.

"Stop with the jokes." He smirked and Kagome twirled around, her hand curved prettily.

"Yes sir!" She snickered with a quick salute and Kouga frowned.

"I called you because you're the only one who doesn't know. So, it makes things easier to be around someone who doesn't know."

"Doesn't know what?" Kagome sat down, serious again. She pat the couch, putting on a false come hither look, "Kouga, you know you wanna tell me."

"No, I don't. I was stupid to say what I did and I'm sorry. I hope you weren't worried. Now, let's talk about the whole Kagura being in love with Inuyasha and how that affects you." Kouga said with a laugh and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't 'affect' me. And even if she does love him, what would it matter if he doesn't love her?" Kagome wondered aloud. She felt this comfortableness with Kouga. Like she could talk to him and he wouldn't tell the others what she said. Which was why she was so 'free' when talking to him.

"Well what if he _does?_" Kouga asked, sitting down on the loveseat which was perpendicular to the couch on the right.

"It wouldn't matter. I mean, it's not like _I_ like him..." Kagome muttered, she took off her shoes and crossed her legs Indian style on the couch. Then, she began to play with her hands and socks, feeling nervous all of a sudden. She laughed her nerves off and shook her head. "I don't even know what liking someone_ means._"

"Sure you do." Kouga grinned. "Everyone does. You just get that 'feeling,'" He rolled his eyes and shuddered, "Whenever you're around that person. You are drawn to them. When you think about them, you look up and suddenly you're in chemistry class. It's like, no shit." He mocked and Kagome chuckled. "And all this mushy talk is making me want to puke." Kagome looked at him incredulously and laughed.

"You started it! What the frig are you talkin' about? Jeeez!" Kagome continued to laugh while Kouga just shook his head.

"Whatever." He joked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can say what you want but you're wrong and you'll never amount to anything in my book. You and your mushy talk. Keh, such a girl. Plus, aren't you _bad_ at chemistry? I can see how you wouldn't be able to put two and two together when it comes to liking someone."

"Oh yeah?" Kagome asked, feeling hurt even though she knew she shouldn't. Kouga was just joking around.

"Totally." Kouga smirked and Kagome frowned. "I mean, you're the Queen of Not Getting It. It's like, what the hell do you take to make yourself so clueless." Kouga was going too far but Kagome wouldn't stop him, he seemed on a roll and who would want to stop someone on a roll? "Awww, don't worry kid, you can't help it." He chuckled and Kagome felt herself sadden.

"I can't help a lot of things... I can't help the people who mean the most to me. And it's not like I wouldn't but they don't want my help... Let 'em rot for all I care. Wish I didn't care... everything would be so easy if I just stopped loving them." Kagome said softly, closing her eyes. Flashes of her mother, father, and brother passed behind her shut lids and Kagome felt this weight on her chest that wasn't there before. "I..." All the blood in Kagome's face drained and Kouga was frightened for her because the change in her was so sudden.

"Kagome?" Kouga was suddenly beside her, his hand on her back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." He muttered, wondering what it was that had set her off. Kagome opened her eyes and all she saw was Kouga.

"I hate my-," She swallowed the knot in her throat that was aching and aching to be untied. _Tell him, it's all right to share things with friends. _Kagome told herself, saddness overwhelming her.

"What do you hate?" Kouga asked, amazed that things had gotten so serious so fast. Maybe Kagome had trigger words or something that made her depressed.

"I hate my life." Kagome whispered, immediately ashamed. She shouldn't be saying that, especially when there was Souta to think about. She began to cry uncontrollably and all Kouga could do was hold her. "I do," Kagome laughed through her tears, her hard exterior completely broken. It was like she was a teapot finally at boiling point. "It's horrible and I'm always worried about them. If they could just pick up their acts and care about life for once; that would make me happy. That would help me. But they don't want to help me they just care about themselves!" She choked.

"Who Kagome, who are you worried about?"

"Them." She bit out. "My poor mother and my sorry excuse of a father!" She moaned angrily. Kouga frowned and pushed away from her.

"Don't say that about your parents!" He boomed and Kagome's tears ceased in suprisement. "At least you _have_ parents."

"You don't know them, you have no idea what they've put me through." Kagome argued, shaking her head the entire time and completely missing what Kouga had said. "Right now my asshole father is shootin' up with my fucking baby brother in the next room." Kagome wiped her nose with her sleeve, wishing a random box of tissues would appear on Kouga's coffee table.

"Then why are you here Kagome?" Kouga asked, walking over to his front door. Kagome began to cry again, hating that he was angry with her.

"I'm so sorry Kouga." She said, looking down. She began to play with her ponytail to become relaxed once more and then Kouga's statement from earlier hit her. "What did you mean by...-?"

"Nothing Kagome," Kouga sighed and walked over to sit with her once more.

"What happened to your parents?" Kagome asked, new tears forming in her eyes and she couldn't stop them. She didn't need him to answer to know what had happened and it got her thinking about the possibilities of what might happen to her parents one day and it scared her.

"They died." Kouga said, his tone dark. "Three years ago on this day. I called you over because I always contemplate killing myself eveytime the anniversary of their death comes along." Kouga's eyes welled with tears and Kagome made a noise in the back of her throat, breathing heavilly; panicky.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, putting her head between her legs to cry without him seeing which was pretty insane looking. Kouga laughed, a few tears escaping his tired eyes.

"Kagome? You all right there? I'm sorry I'm such an emo kid." He chuckled sadly and Kagome laughed, breathing quickly before coming up to face him, her face red.

"Shut up." She snickered, squeazing her nose. "We're both emo kids. You and you're dead parents." She touched her hand to his wet cheek. "Me and my screwed up ones." They laughed, forehead to forehead, leaning on one another for support. Kouga began to cry then, letting it out and Kagome was strong for him. "It's okay." She whispered, letting her own tears fall every now and then. "I've got you."

"I suck." Kouga laughed, trying so hard not to cry. It was embarrassing.

"No!" Kagome protested. She smoothed his hair down and hoped it was soothing. "No, you don't." Kouga moved away from her, his breathing shaky.

"I wish I was stronger but I'm not." He cried. "I mean, I'm not the only guy out there who lost his parents in a car accident. They've been gone for three damn years... Why can't I accept it?" He seemed to drift off then and Kagome sat there, wishing she could help him.

"Look at me," She said, her tone seeming angry. "Just... just remember them." Kouga rolled his eyes and Kagome frowned. "I'm serious. From now on just remember the good times. _Celebrate_ their lives!" She smiled and Kouga laughed.

"All right." He lied down on the couch and Kagome moved out of his way. "I'm sorry." He said softly and Kagome scowled.

"What for?" She asked, rubbing his back.

"For being so weak."

"You aren't weak." She said with a sigh and Kouga ignored her.

"I'm sorry for enjoying today so much. I'm sorry for getting bad grades and not giving a shit about school. I should probably try harder... I'm sorry for forgetting to say goodnight to you. I'm sorry for wishing it was anyone else but you two. I'd trade the world for you to still be alive! I'm sorry for living this way." He growled and then his body shook with new sobs as he asked his parents for forgiveness. Kagome's heart went out to him and she wished so much that she could numb him of some of his pain.

"Shhh," She said close to his ear and continuing to rub his back. "They loved you." After about ten minutes, Kouga let out a shaky sigh. They both slid to the floor and began to talk about family and the importance of it.

Kagome told him stories of when she was ten and how her mother was a nut but taught her everything she ever needed to get by. She told him about her mother's friends coming in and out of her life like filler chapters of a beautiful, never ending story. She told him about her father and his issues with every drug under the sun but how he was always looking out for her.

"One time he gave me twenty bucks just for gum... I suppose you could call that his guilt but he was nice about it; said gum is more addictive than anything else out there and that it's getting up there when it comes to price. He wanted me to have money for lunch, too. So, extra's alright, eh?" They laughed and Kagome continued. "I just want him to wake up because he's a great guy but he's not great enough. Why is that? I mean... when I was younger he was this powerful superhero dad. What- I mean, what the hell happens in between to cause such a crash in someone's life? I love him so isn't that enoguh? Shouldn't he love me enough to quit?" Kagome shook her had, smiling so she wouldn't cry.

Kouga told her about afternoon walks in the park with their dog, June. Told her how his dad taught him how to toss a football but said he had to learn the rest about the sport on his own. Kouga spoke of terrific baseball games and soccer. He hated soccer but his dad liked it so he kept playing. Then he told her about his mother.

"The sun was always shining down on her. It was like she had this ray of sunshine always lit upon the top of her pretty little head." He laughed, "She had light brown hair and almost silver blue eyes. I know she probably wasn't but, to me, she was the happiest person I knew."

"Kagome?" Kouga turned, his back on the couch. Kagome had been staring off, just listening to his stories but now she gave him her full attention.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"You reminded me of her." He said quietly, staring off and remembering something. "That first time I saw you with Souta I saw that connection you had with him and I knew what that was like once. That's why I thought what I did when it came to you possibly being his mother." Kagome's eyes widened.

"Oh," She said, surprised. "Well... sorry or, er, thanks?" They both were silent for a moment before they began to laugh. Kouga sat up and hugged her.

"It was nice to see, don't worry." He chuckled and Kagome hugged him back with everything in her. After a moment or so they were relaxed enough to let go of one another. "You should probably go to Sango's." Kouga said, clearing his throat and Kagome nodded her head with a smile.

"Probably. But," She took his hand in hers. "I'm with you right now. Besides, she can wait, she's got Kagura, Inuyasha, and Miroku with her." She rolled her eyes with every name she said and Kouga laughed. "What does she need me for?"

"What the fuck are we doin' here Kagome? Are you nuts? Let's go. They're my friends too." He told her, life coming back to his eyes. "I love you for this, you know that right?" He muttered the word 'love' and Kagome looked into his eyes, nodding her head.

"I know. Same here." She grinned. "You're the first person outside of my family that I've ever loved. Congrats!" Kouga got up and stretched.

"God I'm good. Won't the others be shocked I got to you before Inuyasha." He chortled and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"What is it with you and Inuyasha? He doesn't like me!" She said, trying not to smile and Kouga smirked.

"But you'd like it if he did." Kagome punched him on the arm.

"Shut your trap!" Then, Kagome thought about Kagura and frowned. "What about you and Kagura? I always saw something there..." Kouga looked away, his eyes clouding over.

**(Music starts now. The song is Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson. Download it now please :-P)**

"Well, you never know right?" He said finally and Kagome got up with a triumphant 'hoorah.'

"Knew it." She teased and Kouga scowled.

"Let's go already! Call Sango, tell her I'm coming: she'll be shocked." Kagome smiled.

"I love hearing shock in people's voices how'd you know?" She snickered and pulled out her cell. While Kagome was on the phone, Kouga walked over to her and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you." He whispered, his kiss lingering.

"Hello?" Sango's voice asked and it took Kagome a moment to answer.

"Uh, yeah, hi! It's Kagome. I just wanted to let you know that I was on my way. Kouga's coming too."

**The storm is coming but I don't mind  
People are dying, I close my blinds  
All that I know is I'm breathing now**

"REALLY?" Sango asked, awe so evident in her voice it was amusing. "Guys, Kouga's coming!"

"No shit?" She heard someone she assumed was Inuyasha say. "Cool. Hi guys!" Kagome giggled.

"Hiii!" She yelled and Kagome heard an audible laugh throughout the group.

"Well, hurry up." Sango said, smiling. "We're runnin' outta food. Hey Kouga, don't be a pussy and leave early either!" She yelled and Kouga snickered. He was ready to go; his skin crawling.

"We'll be there soon!" He said back.

"What'd he say?" Sango asked Kagome and they both laughed.

"We'll be there soon. Later."

"Bye Kags, see you soon." Sango said and then Kagome heard a click. She looked at Kouga, their eyes connecting.

"Let's go." She said, slipping on her shoes and scurrying over to the door.

"Yup," Kouga opened the door for her, a bemused look on his face. "It's party time." He chuckled and Kagome rolled her eyes, turning to walk down his steps backwards.

**I want to change the world instead I sleep  
I want to believe in more than you and me  
But all that I know is I'm breathing  
All I can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing now**

"You're such a dork man." She laughed and Kouga rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, get in the caaarrrr." He purred and Kagome snorted.

"See, toootal dork." She shrugged like there was nothing she could do. He began to chase her and Kagome ran, having fun playing with someone. He grabbed her from behind and cackled evily.

"I've got you now!" He boomed. Kagome fell in his arms.

**Now, now, now...**

"Oh no," She was trying desperately not to laugh. "What ever will I do? Someone save me!!" They laughed and he turned her in his arms. Kagome's smile faltered and Kouga's eyes widened. Time stopped and it was just them breathing like they were on the verge of death on a rainy summer day; the sun shining down in beautiful rays through gray storm clouds. All that was were their faces and lips moving closer and closer to the other's. Kouga's parents weren't dead and Kagome's home life wasn't a wreck. Everything was sweet like Kouga's shallow breathing on her lips.

"What would happen if I kissed you right now?" He asked in a husky whisper and Kagome shrugged.

"Why don't you find out?" She dared. Kouga moved his lips closer to hers, touching them together softly. Kagome's breath hitched. She moved her lips over his, never fully kissing him and he never kissed her. Kouga could barely take the torture and placed his forehead on hers. Then, he kissed her. Their kiss was one for the books. A once in a lifetime kiss.

"God I want y-"

"Kiss me again." Kagome interrupted and Kouga obliged. When it was over, so were they.

"Come on, we should go."

**All that I know is I'm breathing  
All I can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing  
All we can do is keep breathing now**

"Yeah," Kouga got into the car, leaving Kagome to stand there beside herself. She touched her lips and shivered. Once she was in the car, they didn't speak and all Kagome thought about was driving and how free it used to make her feel. The electricity between Kouga and her was insane and she could barely stand it. She glanced at him and imagined his mind far off. She wished to know what he was thinking about but she would have never guessed it was her.

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**A/N - Hate it? Like it? Love it? Let me know in a review.**


	13. Woah, Lady! Chill Out!

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Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha.

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A/N - Hey, so it wasn't a HUGE wait but it was still a wait and once again I am sorry. Now, read and have fun doing it.

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"I wonder what's taking them so long..." Sango muttered as the group sat on her living room floor in a circle. The scene looked beyond cozy and the snacks were few but the crums were not.

"Sango, you _just_got off the phone with Kagome. Calm the fuck down." Inuyasha said with a roll of his eyes and Sango's eyes widened in shock and her mouth popped open.

She crawled over to him, pillow in hand, and stuffed it in his face for a moment of two before saying, "You need to stop using words like 'fuck' cause I'm so done with that _shit._" Sango said with anger and Inuyasha didn't even try to call her a hypocrite. He'd done it before and had regret it for a week.

"Okay," Inuyasha spit out some lint that seemed to be on the bottom of the pillow and took a deep breath. His lung capacity was good but he needs a head start, you know? "All I was saying was that maybe you shouldn't be so antsy when you _just_talked to her. They'll get here when they get here. 'Nough said." And he crossed his arms. Sango nodded her head in agreement. Her apology would not be said with words but with the quick hug she gave him.

"You're right." she said with reluctance as she pulled away from him and returned to her spot in the circle, "But it's Kagome we're talking about." It was Inuyasha's turn to nod his head in agreement.

"Pfft, I hope Kouga remembers how to get here. It'll help her." He said, popping some popcorn into his mouth. "Wait," He said to still everyone's breathing. "I wanna see if I can catch it." They all groaned but he threw a piece into the air anyway. It missed his mouth by about a foot and he frowned. "I'll get it next time." He promised and they all caught one another's eye.

"No," Miroku said, shaking his head sympathetically and they all looked at him. "You won't." Sango and Kagura held their laughter in for Inuyasha's sake but knew he was probably right. Inuyasha had been popping popcorn in his mouth for years and not once had a single kernal found its way into his large mouth.

****

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

"Take a right on Spring Street." Kouga muttered, not even looking at the road. Kagome did as she was told and blinked back her frustrated tears. Kouga's face and body were in the windows direction.

"Aren't we gonna talk about what just happened back there?" She asked in a very quiet, hesitant voice. Kouga didn't respond and just told her to take a left.

"We'll be there soon." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled. She was so pretty when she was nervous. He reached over and lightly touched her cheek. Kagome shut her eyes and leaned into his touch. Then, she jumped and swerved as a car in the other lane beeped to bring her out of her daydream.

"Don't do that!" She screamed at him and Kouga tried his hardest not to laugh. "I have to drive!"

"So then drive. I didn't tell you to close your eyes." Kouga shrugged and Kagome punched his arm.

"Don't be rude." She muttered after a moment passed.

"Alright, alright. Oh, by the way?"

"Yeeeah?" Kagome asked, exasperated.

"We've gotta turn around." Kouga said quickly and Kagome sighed heavily.

"Of course we do." She said, making a turn. "I just... I don't know, forget it." Kagome took some deep breaths and Kouga simplysat there smiling and wanting to kiss her again but knowing that his feelings for her were just of lust. "I want to understand what just happened." her voice cracked and Kouga's heart began to ache a little for her.

"Here's my plan." Kouga said and Kagome looked at him, nodding her head frantically.

"Okay, plan, yay, you've got one, good." She continued nodding as she looked back at the rode and he told her to go right then left at the lights.

"I've loved Kagura for about three years now." Kagome hid her slight wince and kept nodding her head. "So if I see her and still love her and pretty much forget about that amazing kiss then we don't do a thing about what happened and we don't speak about it with them or each other." Kagome let a shocked tear slide down her cheek.

"I don't know why that hurts..." She whispered more to herself than him and Kouga swallowed the lump in his throat that he hadn't noticed was there until Kagome spoke. "I mean," she forced a smile and her eyes watered over once more. "I kind of wanted to talk about it." she shrugged and then continued before he could interject. "But, uh, haha, that's only 'cause I'm a talker." She nodded her head and Kouga frowned. "I guess I'll look at Inuyasha and know what I'm supposed to do." Kouga muffled his quiet scowl at the sound of his friend's name.

"Yeah," Kouga agreed. Then, as if it was a surprise, they were at Sango's. Kagome glanced at Kouga and bit her lip. "Let's do this." He muttered and she nodded her head.

"Kay," He connected his lips to her's one more time in the form of a peck before they left the car and he jumped out of his skin at the paleness that was her cheeks. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets and his brow furrowed with worry as they made their way to Sango's front door.

****

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

"...that's not true!" Kagura screamed at Sango. The two were in Sango's kitchen grabbing some more snacks for the boys.

"Oh yeah?" Sango snickered almost in a cruel way. "I see the way you look at him... Kagura you need to-"

"They're here!" Inuyasha yelled to them and they both jumped. Sango gave Kagura a meaningful stare before she went back into the living room, snacks in hand.

"Heeey!" Sango said, cheerful once more and Kagome, who's head was facing downward, looked up and came out of her trance. She smiled and gave a little wave.

"Hello," Was her welcome to everyone and Inuyasha snorted.

"Wow. Well, 'hello' to you too." Was his simple reply and Kagome looked at him and frowned.

"Shut up, what else was I supposed to say?" She gravitated to his side and nudged his shoulder. He laughed and held up his hands in surrender.

"Something more, I don't know, clever? At least a 'what's up?' ya know? You're too quiet all the time and so when you do talk to us you speak as if you in the 50's or something." Kagome just rolled her eyes and they sat down, forming some of the circle that once was. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha and sighed. _I feel like puking isn't very far off in my future..._

"Hey Kouga," Everyone looked over at Kagura and Kagome looked at Kouga. His eyes lit up at the sound of his name and when his stare landed on Kagura it accidentally glanced back to Kagome.

"Yeah?" He asked her quickly. He sounded pissed.

"Ummm, hi." She bit out, her eyes in slits. "Why the hell is everyone being so mean to me lately?" She asked, crumpling down on the floor in the middle of the circle. Tears came to her eyes and Kagome took it that she was overtired.

"Kagura... maybe you should get some slee-" She began tentatively but Kagura cut her off.

"I don't need to fucking sleep." Her eyes bore into Kagome with venom and hate. "I need you to stop hanging on In-"

"Shut up." Everyone looked over at Sango and they knew she meant business.

"Why?" Kagura was hysterical. "Why aren't you on my side?" She got up and ran over to Kouga. His arms wrapped around her and she cried into his shoulder.

"Stop it!" Sango said, walking over to her. Her voice shook with anger but she gently smoothed a hand on her back. "We're supposed to be having _fun_." Kagome felt the bile rising in her throat and she was dizzy.

"Oh fuck off." Kagura cried, her voice soft. Kouga rubbed her back but gently pushed her off him.

"Sit down." He told her, holding her eyes with his and Kagura frowned but nodded her head.

"Okay," She took three deep breaths and laughed, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered to Kagome who could only cock her head to the side and smile. Kagura's eyes widened with worry. "Kagome are you okay?" She asked, her hand on her mouth.

"I... I'm fine." Kagome said softly. "I just need a... a bathroom." Was her second thought. Then, she realized she wasn't breathing properly. "Ow," She muttered, her chest exploding. Inuyasha picked her up under her arms and lightly tapped her face.

"What the fuck Kagome..." Miroku muttered, so confused. He'd been in the bathroom taking a dump. What was happening?

"I don't know what's wrong with me!" She cried, frightened. "I'm dying or something!" She moaned, her chest on the floor. She gagged when a name entered her mind: Souta. Her pain left her that instant and she was in every sense of the word, shocked. One of her hands reached her mouth and she choked back a sob. "It's Souta." She managed to get out and everyone, everything in the room tensed.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, his voice high. "What do you mean 'it's Souta?'" Kagome shook her head as she rocked back and forth on Sango's floor.

"I don't fucking know!" She moaned. "I just know something's wrong. I've never felt so sure of something in my life. I need to get to him..."

"We'll come with you," Sango said, believing her friend. Kagome caught her eyes for a mere a second and nodded her head. "Miroku has a jeep. Where are we going?"

"Uhhh," Kagome frowned, thinking of where Souta could be. "My house... no! Nana Hikari's." Miroku nodded his head and put on his jacket, keys in hand. Kagome ran out of Sango's house and tripped on her way down Sango's stairs. In the process, she badly twisted her ankle. "Well that's just perfect." She yelled as she hopped over to Miroku's jeep. It was black.

"Hey Kagome, Kouga's going in your car, he somehow got your keys. Kagura's going with him." Inuyasha said, getting in the backseat with Sango.

"Alright," Kagome said quietly. "Just get to my nana's please." The lump in her throat hurt but her worry was making her so alert she couldn't blink. "Oh God please let him be okay..." She whispered her head in her hands.

****

- Thirty Minutes Earlier -

"Nana, where's Kagome?" Souta asked his grandmother softly. Moments before his mother had dropped him off at his Nana Hikari's and he was very happy about it.

"Oh, she's just out with some friends." Hikari responded with a smile. She pat his hand and picked him up, carrying him to her couch. "Now, we're going to take a bath!" She made it sound exciting and Souta giggled; he loved to swim.

"Okay." He said simply.

"Okay?" Hikari sounded surprised and her grin was so wide it hurt.

"Mhmm!" He nodded his head clutched the small bear he was holding in his arms. "I like the water." He said with a shiver. Hikari chuckled and hugged the young boy; squeezed him.

"Honey, are you cold?" She asked as she rubbed his back.

"Nooo." He chirped and Hikari nodded her head with a frown.

"Okay well I'm taking your word for it." She ran her fingers through his soft brown hair and sighed. "Let's go!" She took hold of his hand and led him up the stairs to her bathroom. Once Souta was in his boxers he jumped into the full tub with a splash.

"Yay!" He giggled but Hikari noticed he was clearly shaking. Her frown smile in on itself.

"Dear, are you feeling well?" She asked him as she touched his forehead. Souta's eyes watered over but he continued to smile.

"I don't know." He shrugged innocently. "Maybe I feel a little... I don't know." His eyes began to shut and Hikari gasped.

"Baby?! Honey what's going on? What hurts?"

"Meee!" He cried, shaking harder than before.

"Okay, we're going to the emergency room." Hikari said outloud to herself. "I'm leaving your sister a note telling her where we are and then we're leaving." First, she dried the boy off and put him in the clothes his mother had packed for him. "Should I call Sherry?" She quickly did but the answering machine picked up.

"Yoooo! It's Sherry. Sherrrrry, Sherry baby..." Sherry sang, "Leave me a message and I'll get back to you... Ow, stop it Dan." She chuckled and then finally the beep sounded.

"Your son is sick. I'm taking him to the nearest hospital... Sherry, I'm scared and you need to help him. Something is very wrong here."

****

- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -

"I'm going to run in and see if they're there." Kagome said, already unbuckled and ready to gun it.

"Oh no you aren't. Take a look at that ankle of your's." Inuyasha said as if she were crazy. She looked down and saw it was already black and blue. "You may have broken it. I'll be faster."

"But you don't know the house like I do!" Kagome cried out, hating herself for being so careless.

"I'll carry you to the front door and you'll direct-" Inuyasha began but Kagome stopped him.

"Wait!" She yelled and Miroku swirved slightly, clearly stressed. "There's a note on the front door.." Her heart stopped and Inuyasha gulped. Sango and Miroku held their breath and counted to ten.

"I'll take it down and-" Inuyasha started but once again he was interrupted.

"No, no just read it and remember it and then tell us what it says. My parents might need to see it." Kagome said, trying to calm down. Her was bursting out of her chest. Inuyasha ran out of the car and read the note. It was all over the place. So rushed he could barely read it. Then, he was running back and in the car. Kouga beeped behind them, frustrated, and Sango turned around to mouth and signal, "Calm down, 1 minute."

"It said that your nana's taking him to the nearest hospital and that she thinks it's serious. She's really worried about him. Let's go to the nearest one then..." He shrugged and Miroku began to drive.

After a few moments of silence Miroku asked, "Where exactly _is_the nearest hospital?" Sango shut her eyes and looked as if she was thinking very hard. Inuyasha followed her example. Kagome wasn't hesitant to answer.

"It's the one in Risteen? Know it?" Kagome asked and Miroku nodded his head and turned around.

****

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"Man, I wonder what happened." Kagura muttered as Kouga growled because Miroku's turn around was not expected. "I mean," Kagura looked at Kouga. "I'm really worried..." Her tone was sincere but Kouga couldn't help the slight roll of his eyes.

"Don't be," He said. "I'm sure everything's fine." Kagure looked over at Kouga and smiled sadly.

"I'm not. Kouga I'm really not." Miroku came to set of lights and it turned red.

"Aww, come on!" Kouga slammed a hand on the steering wheel and Kagura took hold of it.

"It's okay Kouga. They're already at the hospital. We don't have the sick kid with us. We'll get there soon enough." Kouga looked over at Kagura and her brown eyes shined red in the light of the setting sun. He gasped and took his hand back so that he could touch the side of her face.

"Your eyes are so bea-"

"Kouga go, the lights turned." Kagura said, her voice high and her eyes not leaving his. When he was driving once more, Kagura went back to talking. "Have you ever met her brother?"

"Nah, but Inuyasha has." Was his easy answer.

****

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Kagome bit her bottom lip as Miroku pulled into the hospital.

"Kagome, how's your ankle?" Sango asked, forcing Kagome out of her trance.

"Fine." Kagome said softly and Inuyasha frowned.

"Liar." He scoffed and Kagome turned around to look at him and tell him to shut up but in the process of doing so a sharp pain ran up her leg from her ankle.

"Oh," Kagome said, shocked. "Ow," Tears sprang to her eyes. "Oooow!" She cried. "It hurts..." She sniffeled and Inuyasha sighed.

"I've broken my ankle before. I know it does. You shouldn't move around too fast it'll effect your entire leg." He said tiredly. Kagome wiped at her eyes and blew a shaky breath.

"But we have to get to Souta... No matter what! I am not sitting around in the emergency room for five hours without seeing him." Kagome's tone was determined and Inuyasha nodded his head.

"I know, and I'll help you." He told her and Kagome smiled at him through fresh tears.

"I'm so scared." She whispered and Inuyasha's eyes widened. He hadn't realized his own worry until that very moment. He was so involved with Kagome that he hadn't noticed the ball in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm gonna drop you off at the entrance and then find a parking spot." Miroku said quickly, making his way over the the front of the hospital while Kouga parked realizing what he was doing.

"Thanks." Kagome said.

"I'm going to stay with Miroku." Sango said with a nod of her head and Kagome forced a smirk.

"'Kay." She said and Sango smiled at her.

"He's okay." Sango said, taking hold of Kagome's hand.

"Sure." Kagome said, giving her the answer Sango wanted. Inuyasha stepped out of the car and waited for Kagome there. Once Kagome was out he took hold of her and Kagome leaned into his right side. Then, Miroku drove off.

"Which ankles hurt?" Inuyasha asked Kagome and she nodded to her left one. "Okay, I've got ya." Inuyasha helped Kagome into the building and there they found a young man at the information desk. He seemed very busy and Kagome looked shyly at Inuyasha who smiled slightly and cleared his throat.

"One moment please..." The man muttered, completely lost in his own world. Kagome frowned and felt the anger inside of her boiling right beneathe her skin.

"No, _now._" She said through her teeth but that didn't seem to effect the man much. Kagome's sigh was not far from obnoxious but she didn't care; her brother was much more important than manners. "My brother, Souta Higurashi, needs me. Where is he?" The man looked up and looked like he was holding back from rolling his eyes.

"He's in room 35 floor 4." Kagome just stared at him. "Go on, hop to it. You're poor dying brother awaits you bitch. Now-"

"_Dying?_" The man looked at her and took out a nail filer from his desk drawer.

"Yeah, I don't know. Buh bye." He said carelessly and Kagome wanted to slap him. Inuyasha held her hands to her side and shook his head.

"He's not worth it." He said in her ear and Kagome relaxed a little.

"Just take me to him." She replied and Inuyasha nodded his head and helped her to the elevator.

****

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Kouga and Miroku parked beside one another and they all were just sitting in Kagome's car.

"Here, want one?" Sango asked Kagura as she pulled out a cigarette. Kagura shrugged.

"Sure, thanks." They both lit up and Kouga looked back at them with murder in his eyes.

"Guys," He began calmly. Too calm. "This isn't even my car! This is _Kagome's_ car."

"So roll down the windows back here." Kagura ordered and Miroku sighed.

"Just do it." He muttered to him and he did. Suddenly, a crazy looking blonde was headed straight for them. She wore a very tight, very small purple glitter dress that showed more cleavage than it covered. Around her was a matching shawl. Her black high heels made her feet red but she didn't seem to notice. Her makeup was in some serious need of attention but her blue eyes were accentuated quite nicely with the eye shadow she was wearing. Kouga did not roll down the windows.

"What the fu-" They all began but the woman started to hit the car with her heavy gold purse.

"Lady chill out!" Kouga said to her through the window but his only response was a growl.

"You think you can steal from me?" She asked him, trying to open the front door even though it was locked. They all had a quick moment to look at each other. They all were very confused and then they saw she had a pocket knife. "I swear," She began through her teeth. "I will break this God damn window if you don't open this door." They could see that the woman had been crying; her black mascara was running down her cheek.

"Hold on!" Sango screamed and they all, the woman included, looked at her. "Are you Kagome's mom?" The woman's jaw dropped and she nodded her head. "You're son's in the hospital." Sango said and she nodded her head again.

"Yeah, I got my mom's message." She said softly and Kouga rolled his window down.

"Kagome's with our friend Inuyasha. She's hurt her ankle but came here for Souta." The woman was shaking.

"She hurt her ankle?" She asked them. Fresh tears sprang to her eyes and she began to sob. "What _is _this? Karma!? Bullshit. I am one lucky mothafucker." She stabbed a cigarette into her mouth and lit it. "You are not gonna tell me that suddenly this is all gonna come crashing down around me. Bullshit!" She screamed. Then, she bent down and Kouga could smell alcohol on her breath.

"Ma'am, what's your name?" Miroku asked her kindly and her head was in her hands.

"Sherry." Came her muffled reply. Then she looked up at them. "Why is this happening? I already have enough shit in my fucking life. I don't need this." She took a drag and then continued. "How did Kagome manage to hurt her ankle? And where is Souta?" She was hysterical.

"Calm down. Sherry, they're both in the hospital somewhere. You should go to the information desk and then take the next step." Miroku's soothing voice got to her and she took three deep breaths.

"Okay," In through the nose, out through the mouth. "Okay,"

"Do you need any of us to go with you?" Sango asked and Sherry nodded her head.

"Yes, the one with the soothing voice." She said and they all gawked at her.

"Who, _Miroku?_" Sango asked, a slightly shocked and angry tone to her question.

"Yes, that one." She pointed and Miroku smiled slyly at Sango.

"At your service Mrs. Higurashi." He said as he got out of the car. Then he gave her his arm to lean on.

"Thank you," Sherry smiled. "You're a sweet boy." Sango's face was beat red and Kouga and Kagura were trying hard not to laugh. When the two were out of sight, Kouga and Kagura gave up and laughed to their hearts content.

"You should've seen your face!" Kouga snickered. Kagura nodded her head with a agreement and pointed at Sango's face which was now scowling and because she didn't have the words she just shook her head and erupted with a new fit of giggles.

"Yeah," Kagura sighed and Sango just heaved a heavy breath and rolled her eyes whilst crossing her arms.

"You two are insane." She said quietly. Soon, all was silent and somber again. Sango and Kagura were done with their cigarettes and Kouga had opened their windows for them so they tossed them over to the nearest waste basket. When they both missed, they laughed and Sango said, "I'll get it." Once she back in the car she asked Kouga and Kagura, "What do you think's wrong with her brother?" Sango asked quietly and the other two winced.

"I don't know. I hope nothing serious." Kagura whispered and Kouga nodded his head.

"Everything will be fine." He climbed in the back with them and sat in the middle. He then wrapped an arm around them both. "Now, how's about a threesome?" He asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively and they both gawked at him.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me?" Sango breathed and he shook his head, grinning.

"Nah, I don't kid." He said sarcastically and Sango rolled her eyes while Kagura slapped his shoulder. After a bit of playful hits here and there they all sighed heavilly, exhausted, and leaned back.

"That was really good." Kagura said sikilly, leaning onto Kouga and kissing him lightly on his chest and Sango nodded her head.

"Oh yeah," She leaned on Kouga and looked up at him. "Was it good for you baby?" She asked batting her lashes at him and he snickered.

"Of course. My two favorite girls on the planet and I get them to screw me... in a car!? Hell, I might as well be in heaven." The girls grinned and then each leaned on one of his shoulders.

"Love you Kouga." They said softly and he sighed. Kouga leaned towards Kagura and kissed the top of her head and pat Sango's gently, lovingly. "I know," And then, they shut their eyes for a nice nap to forget their friend's troubles for a while.

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A/N - Sure, the ending was insanely fucked but who can blame a girl? I love me some nutcake. (Try and ignore the grammar. I'll fix it later but right now I gotta get ready for a partaaay :-P)


	14. Souta

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha.**

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**A/N - Hey, I tried to come up with ideas a fast as possible. Enjoy and please, once you've read, review. It's a motivation for me. If you're shy, I guess I understand that but don't _favorite/alert _my story and then not leave a review. That sucks lol... **

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"Nana?" Kagome asked the back of an older looking woman who gasped with surprise. Hikari turned to face her granddaughter and smiled though her eyes were wet with tears.

"Of course you would be here before your mother. Of course." She swiftly walked over to Kagome and gave her a tight hug. Kagome's left arm softly slipped out of Inuyasha's grasp so that she could hug Hikari and she quietly cried into her shoulder.

"Nana what's going on?" Kagome asked her and Hikari just shrugged.

"Beats me, I was just giving him a bath when suddenly he started shaking. I asked what was wrong and the only thing he could say was 'I don't know,'" They laughed without humor and then Hikari continued. "Then I asked him what hurt and he said 'me.'" Hikari's eyes widened at the memory and Kagome felt like she was going to pass out. The two turned at the sound of heavy high heels on the hospital floor.

"MOM!" Sherry yelled at them down the hall, Miroku at her side. Inuyasha cocked a brow at Miroku who shrugged sheepishly.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" Inuyasha asked Miroku cautiously when he was able to hear him without the need of yelling.

"Well hello, dear." Hikari's voice was angry and sarcastic. "You look splendid." Then, she cut the crap. "Where's your husband?"

"Couldn't tell ya." Hikari shrugged. Kagome glared at her mother and was about to say something when a doctor came out of Souta's room, a solemn look on his face.

"He's..." The man began but he was cut off by Sherry's strangled sob.

"Oh my baby!" She cried, falling to the floor. Miroku took hold of her and Hikari placed a trembling hand over her mouth in shock. Kagome looked at Inuyasha who was frowning, tears in his eyes.

"Unnm," Kagome choked, "Shit!" She whispered. She couldn't breathe, it hurt to move. "Oh God shit!" She bent over and began to gag, the pain in her ankle absolutely nothing compared to the pain in her heart. "Oh fuck... oh fuck... help. Please no," She shook her head and looked over at her crying mother and grandmother who were holding on to one another. Miroku had found his way over to Inuyasha and they were looking at Kagome, very concerned.

"Come here," Inuyasha said softly, his arms open to her. Kagome screamed into his shoulder and Miroku hugged her back.

"You're okay," They soothed. Kagome bit Inuyasha's shoulder but he didn't wince or make a sound of pain he just hugged her tighter.

"This isn't happening." She cried, dizzy. She looked up into Inuyasha's face, his eyes boring into hers and for a second she forgot where she was.

Then, she remembered and pushed him away. "Where is he?" She yelled at the doctor who was very, very confused. "Where the hell is my brother?"

"I'm right here!" Souta, in a hospital gown much too large for his little body, ran over to Kagome and hugged her legs. "Kaggy," He said softly and

Kagome fell to her knees and squeezed him entirely too hard.

"Oh honey!" She cried, her throat dry. "Oh Souta, you're alive. Oh my God! I love you, I love you, I love you!" With each 'I love you' she kissed his precious little face, her tears wetting his cheeks. "What happened kid?" She drew away from him to look at his face.

"I don't know!" He shrugged cutely and Kagome grinned. "I was just hurt." Hikari snickered and blew him a kiss.

"Kiddo, you're nuts. You weren't just hurt, you were howling." Hikari laughed with happiness. As long as he wasn't dead, she was happy. Miroku and Inuyasha laughed at her joke but then were interrupted by the doctor, waiting patiently for the crazy people to stop their nonsense.

"It happens sometimes," The doctor said, shoving his hands into his pocket. "Younger kids, they don't know how to filter stuff and so their emotions can sometimes affect them physically. Something might've happened to cause this episode." Sherry was just gazing at Souta, dazed and high. High off of love for the son she thought she'd lost.

"Souta?" She whispered, smiling and biting her lip. Her tears ran down her makeup stained face but it didn't matter as she used her knees to make her way over to her child. "Souta." She giggled and the four year old nodded his head.

"Yes mommy?" He asked her quietly and Sherry sat on the floor, her knees tucked under her and unable to move, and sobbed. She cried so hard they were all very positive she would pass out. Souta, an IV needle mark on his arm, walked over to his mother and said. "I had to get a needle in me." His eyes watered over and Sherry stared at him some more, still bawling. She gently took his hand and kissed it lightly so as to not bring him anymore pain.

"Better?"

"Mhmmm." A single tear streamed down his right cheek and Sherry wiped it away.

"I love you," She whispered. "I love you more than you know. I don't show it all the time but I do." She shrugged and brought him onto her lap. She rocked him and kissed his forehead, leaving behind a few sparkles of purple on his arm. "Baby, don't you _ever_ scare me like that again. Please."

**- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -**

Once the others found out that pretty much nothing was wrong with Souta besides emotional turmoil, everyone headed to Kagome's house to have a little party for him. Souta would be a Prince... no! a **King **that day if it was the last thing everyone did. Souta also enjoyed meeting so many new people. He wasn't very social outside his family and it was nice to get to know Kagome's friends.

"Hey kid, you got a seven?" Inuyasha asked Souta, a fake candy cigarette in his mouth and a green, pleather visor on his head.

"Nope, go fish." Souta's sqeaky reply came. Sherry was out in the kitchen making Souta's favorite foods. Kagome was sitting with Souta, running her fingers through his hair and smiling happily. Sango and Kagura, real cigarettes in their mouths (away from Souta so he didn't get the secondhand smoke) were playing cards with Inuyasha and Souta while Miroku and Kouga were watching television and drinking beer. Hikari had gone home to get something and then she'd be there soon. But, she hadn't left without hugging and kissing her little Souta.

"Love you baby," She'd said and he kissed her aging cheek.

"Mac 'n cheese, comin' up!" Sherry yelled from the kitchen and Souta squealed with joy, dropping his cards in the process.

"Oh, it's alright." Sango said soothingly as his bottom lip began to tremble. "We didn't see your cards, just pick 'em up. That's right." Then, the game continued and Sherry called Kagome into the kitchen. It took everything in her to leave Souta's side but she did. She knew she'd eventually have to do other things aside from playing with his soft hair so she brought herself up from the small kid chair she'd been sitting in, and walked into the kitchen to see what was up.

"Yeah mom?" She asked. Sherry had changed out of her party clothes and into something of Kagome's because most of Sherry's clothes were just like the purple dress. The two hadn't entirely agreed on the matter but they knew it was Souta's day so they didn't argue. Sherry had on a light pair of blue jeans which were slightly ripped on the knees. She wore a fitting tank top and a gray plaid shirt. Her long blonde hair was up in a neat ponytail, not unlike Kagome's, and her face was clean of makeup. Well, not that clean. She had on a light, raspberry lip gloss and the same eye liner from before, plus some eye shadow to give her eyes that extra pop. Mascara was almost a given.

"Could you bring our guests some snacks and drinks?" Kagome turned and saw unopened bags of Doritos, Cheese Puffs, Ruffles Original, and dip. She dumped the contents into some bowls and brought them out to everyone.

"I won Kaggy, I won!" Souta laughed and threw his cards into the air. She frowned and looked at Inuyasha.

"Okay, who showed him that?" Inuyasha snickered and ate his candy cigarette. "Because, guys, he never threw his cards before."

"Inuyasha is full of awesome and powerful knowledge." Souta said in a tone of awe and Kagome guffawed.

"Okay buddy," She walked over to the coffee table in front of the couch but not before patting the top of Souta's head. "Okay." She put her hands on her hips and smiled. "Drinks anyone?"

"More beer!" Miroku and Kouga cheered with burps and Kagome shook her head.

"Nooo way." She said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Coke." Inuyasha said and Kagome raised a brow.

"Coke!" Souta copied and Kagome raised her other brow.

"Ummm, what do you say?" She asked them both condescendingly.

"Please." They smiled up at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Boys, you're just great. Anyone else?"

"Sprite." Miroku, Kouga, and Sango said at the same time.

"Okay," Kagome took out an invisible pad of paper and began to write everyone's order down. Souta giggled happily, he loved when she did that.

She couldn't help but join him in his laughter. "Kagura, want anything?" She asked. Kagura looked up at her and smiled.

"No thanks, I've got my water." She lifted a bottle and Kagome frowned. When Kagura wasn't looking she unscrewed the bottle and sniffed it; making sure it was not vodka. Kagura turned back around and gawked at her.

"Hey! What're you doing?" She asked and Kagome nodded with approval.

"Yep, just water." Then she went into the kitchen to get their drinks.

**- & - & - & - & - & - & - & -**

"Another game?" Inuyasha asked Souta and he nodded his head.

"But I wanna play something else." He said, unsure of himself. Kagura smiled and leaned in to have him look at her.

"How about war?" She asked him and he shrugged.

"I've never played that." He seemed ashamed and Sango laughed.

"Oh! Kiiid," She ruffled his hair and sighed. "It's just a number game, that's all. The largest number wins the other cards. If you get the same cards you have to have a 'war.' You," She took the deck of cards and showed him what she meant. "Take the card and add more cards saying with each card: 'W-A-R Spells WAR!' It's easier than it looks." She looked at him, "Oh, and 'Spells' equals one card." Souta stared at her blankly and blinked.

"I'm sorry Sangooo," Ever since he'd met her, Souta couldn't help extending the 'o' in Sango's name. "I just don't get it." He seemed sad and then Inuyasha got an idea.

"How about we play teams?" He asked and Souta seemed to like the idea so that's how they decided to play. "Souta you can be captain of your

team."

"Yo, we want in on this action." Kouga said, pulling up a chair with Miroku right beside him.

"Okay," Souta said. Souta's eyes widened with each second of not playing the game that went by. Inuyasha realized he didn't know what to do.

"Souta, choose your partner." Inuyasha said kindly and Souta lightly hit his hand to his head.

"Oh yeah!" He smiled and then his smile fell, "How do I... How do I do that?"

Kouga laughed and said, "Like this. I chooooose Miroku."

"Yay!" Miroku cheered and Souta laughed.

"Okay. I chooooooooooose... Kaggy!" They all blinked.

"But she's not here right now..." Sango said softly and Inuyasha laughed.

"Oh, okay... I chooooooooooooose Inuyasha." He said and Inuyasha nudged his shoulder.

"Thanks." Inuyasha smiled at him and he smiled back. And Sango chose Kagura even though they were with one another anyways. The most epic

card game of the century then began...

"One, two, three WAR!" They all boomed. It was Souta's turn to flip the card against Kouga and Kagura. He won against a King and a Queen. He had an Ace.

"Yeah baby!" Inuyasha scooped the cards into their pile and the other grumbled a little before they started the game up again.

"Driiinks." Kagome finally came in with everyone's drink on a tray she'd found in the cabinet. "And the mac 'n cheese is ready. Go on in and get some." Everyone glared at one another and left at the same time so as to make sure no one was cheating. However, Inuyasha stayed behind with Kagome who limped over to him with a smile. "Hey," She said.

"Hey," He returned the gesture and told her to sit down. "Your foot might not be broken but it is twisted. You should rest." She lifted her foot and twirled onto the couch. Inuyasha sat down beside her.

"Oh Inuyasha I feel like I could do absolutely anything. I'm so happy Souta's okay. My ankle is nothing compared to the pain I'd be in right now had he not been." She shut her eyes and smiled. Then, she turned her head to look at Inuyasha. "Thank you." She said softly and he frowned.

"For what?" He asked her and she shrugged.

"For being there." She said simply and Inuyasha snickered.

"And thank _you_," He said and it was her turn to frown.

"For what?" She asked, shutting her eyes again.

"For biting me." He said with playful growl and she opened her eyes.

"Oh!" She touched her hand to his cheek and laughed, completely embarrassed. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry." She put her hands over her mouth and laughed.

"Eh, it was nothing. You were lost and didn't know what to do. You might've bitten your own tongue so I'm glad it was my shoulder instead." Kagome shook head and apologized once more.

"Can I..." She began tentatively.

"What?" He asked, his voice warm and kind.

"Can I see it?" She asked, cowering away from him incase he was looking at her funny.

"Sure," Inuyasha took his shirt collar and pulled on it but it didn't go to where she bit him. "I'm wearing a tank top under this, do you mind?" Kagome shook her head. He swiftly pulled his shirt over his head and underneath, his white tank top showed off his lightly toned chest and Kagome's mouth unintentionally watered. He pointed to the mark on his pale skin and Kagome winced. Her teeth marks were clearly visible in red and a large bruise was forming around and on it.

"Ouch," She muttered and Inuyasha took her head in his hands and brought their faces close together.

"Kagome, it didn't hurt." He pressed and Kagome gulped. "It hurt seeing you that way though, and I am so happy now because you are. You make me feel so... I can't explain it." He hugged her and whispered into her ear. "You're feelings affect how I feel and, in that moment, it didn't matter, that bite will never matter. If it brought you any from of release, I am grateful to have helped you." Kagome's breathing had quickened and she was so lightheaded and thirsty.

"Inuyasha I-" And then, Inuyasha kissed her cheek.

"I don't know what else to say." He shrugged. He kissed her forehead and laughed softly against her skin. "No fever," He whispered and Kagome looked up into his eyes. She pressed her lips to his forehead and nodded.

"Nothing," She breathed, kissing down his nose and reaching his lips.

"You sure?" Inuyasha muttered, firmly pressing against her mouth and kissing her gently. She kissed him back with something in her that she'd never felt before. A new kind of love. When they broke apart for air, they put their foreheads together and kissed each other's faces. Inuyasha kissed the tip of her nose and they smiled. "Higurashi..." He said huskily and Kagome shivered.

"What's going on?" Sherry, holding a cake, entered the room with Souta hugging her leg and everyone else trailing behind them.

Inuyasha and Kagome broke apart and said quickly, "Nothing!" Sherry raised a brow and Souta giggled.

"She was just checkin' Inu's heartbeat." He explained and it was the others' turn to raise a brow. Kagome opened her arms for Souta who ran into them and hugged her.

"That's right kid," Inuyasha laughed. "That's right." Suddenly, Sherry's cell phone was ringing.

"Here, could you take this?" She handed Miroku the cake and went into the other room. When she came back her face was pale and drained. "Kagome...?"

"Yeah?" Kagome was smiling but then she looked at her mother and stopped. "Oh my God, what now?"

"Your Nana she... she's had a heart attack." Kagome shot up from her seat and frowned.

"What?" Sherry's eyes watered over and she glided over to her children.

"Come on," She opened her arms for them and they joined in a warm hug. "We should get to the hospital."

"So she's still alive?" Kagome asked, some of her worry leaving her.

"I don't know, she's stable but..." Sherry couldn't go on, her throat was closing and she didn't want to cry anymore. "I don't even know how this is happening." Sherry got up to get her purse and coat. But they all heard her whimpering miserably in the kitchen.

"I'll drive you," Inuyasha said and Kagome nodded her head.

"Okay," She got her mother and brother and everyone else said they'd clean up and then meet them there. Sherry said that sounded fine which

was unlike everything and anything else. Miroku, Kouga, Sango, and Kagura watched them drive away with heavy hearts.

"Hikari is so kind." Miroku muttered. "And a heart attack is so painful... She just does not deserve what's she's getting."

"Your body doesn't know if you're a good person or not baby," Sango rubbed his back and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Sometimes things just happen. Let it be." Kagura walked off and began to cry but Kouga was there to comfort. Then, they cleaned up the happiness of the evening and started over.

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**A/N - Review babeeeh! New chapter... soon? Hehe, tell me what's up, know what I'm sayin'? I'm sooo tired. Ignore mistakes, I know you can do it lol... NIGHT/MORNIN'!!!**

**Liz**


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